From the Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

We all have problems; unless, of course, you live in the fantasy world of the kids’ movie, “The Lion King”, with the “gut no worries, mahn…gut a problem free philosophy”. But, in the real world, you are constantly surrounded by worries and challenges. So how can you “enter His rest” when the wart hog keeps singing that fantasy song in your head as you slog through life? Well, you won’t be able to, because you know that song is not true. But if the truth of God makes its echo in your heart and you actually live by it, then you can. God tells us to trust Him...that He will be with you and show you the way; and that is the true rescue from the deepest well. Our error is that we try to “rest in Him” only when the world’s struggles prove too much to carry alone. When it’s a real mess, then we press in and gather up everyone we know to “pray hard”. God is telling us that if we pressed in to Him with the same eagerness for His companionship and daily dialogue, as we do for His rescue, that many of those same difficulties wouldn’t even arise! Immersed in Him, our life and character would be so changed, so purified, that those difficulties wouldn’t be there in the first place. Seek God early, before getting crowded out by life’s pleasures and problems. Then, and only then, can you sing, “Gut no worries, mahn!” (Isaiah 12:2). Endure the fire!  

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