Shake It Off

What I'm about to write is verY vErY VerY VeRy delicious!

(Read as an Infomercial)

Is your life filled with problems? Have you ever wondered why everything bad is only happening to you? Have you ever thought that life is not fair? Have you ever pointed the finger at God?

or

Have you ever been rejected from a job because you could not work on Saturdays? Did you miss your Senior Prom because it was on a Friday night? Have your friends ever thought you were weird, strange, crazy, foolish, mindless, because you refused to go to the movies with them on a Friday night?

or

Do you feel miserable because you're a Christian? Have you ever said "It sucks to be Seventh Day Adventist!"? Instead of standing up for what you believe, have you ever stooped down and joined those making fun of Christians? of Jesus? of GOD?...

I have the perfect solution for YOU!

(end of Infomercial)

Seriously.

I remember the feeling of not being able to go to my Senior Prom because it was on a Friday night. Although I was the senior class Vice President and I was tight with not just the class President but the other officials, they were not going to change the prom day from Friday to Thursday to accommodate me.

I also remember this job interview I went to which lasted about 15 minutes. Once the interviewer--this dude who looked about my age or younger--heard I could not attend one of the mandatory trainings on a Friday afternoon (the time was too close to the Sabbath hour), he simply said, "We might as well not even finish this interview", and sent me home. Jobless. Rejected. Denied.

These are just little problems compared to the serious problems you might be facing now. Later. Tomorrow. If there is one thing I am sure of it's that we all have problems in our lives. For the past year and some months, I have been hit time and time again by problems and difficulties and heartaches and headaches and disappointments and depression over and over again.

Complained?

Plenty.

1 Peter 4

This chapter is truly exceptional.

Check it.

"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange is happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12

Does anyone else see anything wrong with this passage?

What do you mean don't be surprised... as if something strange is happening...?

Something strange is happening!

I'm a child of God!

I shouldn't be going through all this, right?!

"So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too." 1 Peter 4:1

Huh?

To the average mind, this does not make any sense. I have an average mind. But The Word is clear: chillax, stop trippin' about your lil' problems, take a chill-pill, and tackle your probs just like Jesus tackled His.

How?

Read Isaiah 53: 1-7 (Click it)

If that made no sense to you (average mind, remember?)..:

"Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." 1 Peter 4:13

Talk about difficult!

Imagine you're married to whom you thought was the most perfect person in the world. You even have children with this person. Little children. All of a sudden things are lukewarm. The person leaves you. For another. You're both church goers...

Imagine receiving a phone call from an unknown number. Your best friend, who was closer than a brother, died having to jump from the 200th floor of the World Trade Center. His perfect birthday party was the next day...

Imagine you're the hardest worker in your company. You're honest. You've never stolen. Everyone, including the owner of the company, esteems you highly. You even got promoted today. You're fired tomorrow. And you discover you have cancer...

Imagine you love someone so much, you're even willing to offer your life if it were needed for theirs. Everything that person asks you give. Everything they ask you do. The person betrays you with someone else. You were going to get married soon...

Through all of this, you've done nothing wrong. . . .

. . . .You're the victim

And I'm supposed to be glad through all of this?!

"So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." 1 Peter 4:19

Every opportunity we have to stand up for God, to follow His asking, to do anything to please Him, regardless of what others may say, go for it. Every time someone looks at you funny, laughs in your face, calls you stupid for following 'someone you can't even see' --how about this one: "Don't worry, God will understand" or "He's a God of forgiveness, right? Just do (insert whatever) and pray for forgiveness later"--

"So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you... it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" 1 Peter 4:14, 16-18

Yeah, it may be even embarrassing at times when we have to stand up for God's Good News. And yes, it may even have some serious serious repercussions.

Who cares?

The Word is clear: unless these 'godless sinners' turn from their way and stop mocking and teasing and mistreating and harassing God's children, and become 'godlike', what will happen to them.....?

So screw it!

What's important to us is this:

When we are going through the toughest and roughest times in our lives, the best remedy is to let God know that you know that he knows that you know that he knows that you know He will never fail you.

No one will ever understand the tough times you're going through--even if people say they've gone through similar times. Only you know. Only God knows. Only you and God know.

So I guess it makes sense now, you know, the part about not being surprised about life's fiery trials and being glad and stuff: because God will

NEVER

EVER

EVER

fail.

He doesn't know how to lose.

It's not in his nature.

So whenever you find yourself under one of life's thingymagigz:

shake it off.

Enjoy this song by Casting Crowns called "Praise You in the Storm"