Many of us are under pressure to complete a task, fulfill a role, do a job, or to make something happen in our lives. Most of the time we can get the job done, but along the way, we get stressed out, worried, anxious, or even get sick. Sometimes, we do not see fruition because somewhere along the way we quit in our hearts! At times we can find ourselves praying that God would remove the pressure, instead of helping us get through the pressure. Let us not put our hope in the pressure being removed, but put our hope in God to bring to fruition His purpose. It’s good to have hope, but hope deferred can be devastating! Let’s make sure we put our hope in God and not our situations.
“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10
God refines each one of us, and He does it with persistent pain or distress. As it has been said, “people are like tea bags, you do not know whats in them until you put them in hot water.” God concerns Himself with where our hearts are at and will expose to us our hearts through hardship (Jeremiah 17:10). Some people are like potatoes and get soft in the middle of distress, let us not lose heart and quit. However, others are like eggs and get hard, let us not take our situation lightly and ignore God’s discipling. Only by applying pressure can you see the cracks in a foundation. We must be willing to apply pressure to ourselves and those in our ministry, so we know our limits and we can fill in the cracks!
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Hebrews 12:5-6
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
God is treating us as His children. He disciplines us because He loves us (Proverbs 3:12). The scripture is true, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time.” Our circumstances sometimes will not change until we have changed. While going through affliction, we should not be asking ourselves, “Why is this happening to me?” But, “What, does God want me to learn and change?” What area of my life has “cracks” in it that I need to fill in and get solidified. Do you find yourself doubting God or the scriptures when going through hard times? How about giving to God when having a financial hardship? God is showing you a lack of faith and wants you to get genuine faith, sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see (Hebrews 11:1)!
Consistent pressure over long periods of time is how you make diamonds out of coal. Maybe this is what God is doing with the hardship that has entered into your life, turning coal into diamonds! Do not complain that you have pressure, embrace the pressure, God is helping you shine bright like a diamond in this dark and deprived world. The only way to be a diamond is to go through the pressure with God! Jesus turned ordinary fishermen into Apostles by putting them under pressure!
“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:30-31
After sending the disciples out two by two, they come back with a lot of good news from all their hard work. Jesus tells them they will get some rest in a quiet place. When things seem to be going well, expect unexpected pressure from God.
“So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:32-37
Upon landing, the disciples had to be shocked to see the people they tried to get away from waiting for them and looking for more Bible Studies. Jesus doesn’t hesitate, He teaches them, orders Apostles to serve them and then clean up the leftovers. Then to leave by boat in the middle of the night! This was not the rest they were expecting!
“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. ” Mark 6:45-48
What they thought they were getting was rest. Instead, the wind and the waves were against them all night! But who has control over the wind and the waves? Jesus! “Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.” Mark 6:51
Jesus was pushing them to their limits. Giving them more people than they could handle. Giving them more responsibility than they were ready. Giving them the charge to do the impossible, with conditions that would not allow them to reach their goals. All this happened to prepare them to become the leaders of the first-century church! Sometimes God will push us so we can understand our limits. Our shortcomings, and our weaknesses, to realize there are a lot of things we can not do without Him!
“They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Mark 6:49-50
It was not until they cried out to Jesus that He changed their situation. We too must learn that we can do nothing outside of Christ (John 15:5) and we must learn to continually cry out to him to change our situations (Mattew 11:28-30)! Let us turn to Jesus as He makes diamonds out of coal!
Love,
Coltin Rohn
Dean of Undergraduates ICCM – LA