God's not done yet

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:3-4)

Guess what - - - if you are living and breathing on this earth, God isn't finished with you yet! Continue on as he directs your course - there is much more waiting for you to both learn and see completed in your life and in the lives of those you will touch each day. Troubles might attempt to weigh us down, but troubles are his specialty! We don't need to give into their 'emotional weight' - he has already born that 'weight' at the cross and prepared the specific answer for that specific need as just the right time.

We all know how much 'troubles' that weigh on our emotions can drive us closer to God - there is just something about being 'uncertain', 'fearful', or 'overwhelmed' that drives us to our knees and extends our hand to him in hopeful anticipation of what he will do to 'help' when we are unable. Troubles might attempt to 'hem us in' on all sides, but God is NEVER kept out by the tactics of our enemy! As we wait on his answer, we should never forget he is working within us to do what the forces 'without' us are attempting to thwart!

Virtue isn't won, nor is it given - it is the result of having gone through what some might think of as a 'crucible' of sorts. Our standards are actually elevated by the things God walks with us through, aren't they? We see the world from a different perspective when all is said and done at the end of those troubling circumstances. We have been 'made alert' and maintained alertness spiritually - something that helps us to see God even when the world around us wants us to see nothing more than the problem at hand.

God's generosity never ceases - his plan is to bring us through, not overwhelmed or exhausted, but built up, filled to the brim and overflowing with his peace, grace, and love. The circumstances may suggest anything but this as being possible, but we can endure by celebrating God's victory even when everything seems to point toward OUR defeat. God's generosity cannot be contained - nor can our joy at being 'kept' through the things that attempted to undo our faith. Our faith isn't crushed by trial - it is increased! Just sayin!