take it in stride

The verse I chose for my life journal entry today is this:

1 Peter 4:19
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to thier faithful Creator and continue to do good.

But read the Message translation...

So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

Don't you just love that?

When you know you are doing what God wants you to do, there will still be difficulties. But we just need to take it in stride. We can be like quicksand sucking people into the drama of our difficulties, or we can be like a lighthouse pointing people to Jesus even when things are hard.

Trust him. He knows what he's doing. God sees the HUGE picture we can't see or can't understand. Someday we'll see what he sees and see how our lives intertwined with other's and how he used all things for his glory.

He'll keep on doing it. If it is God's will, he isn't going to end our difficulties just because we complain to him or others about it. If he knows it is for his glory or it is for our benefit he won't end our troubles (gasp) even if we pray about it.

We have to take it in stride & look to him for peace. Knowing that God is in control also helps me realize that I don't have to have that responsibility. I don't even need to pretend I'm in control. Aaah. That is a relief!