Truth for Thursday

I am continuing “Truth for Thursday” here at Being Refined As Silver.  We are on the last chapter of “Lies Women Believe”, chapter 11: “The Truth That Sets Us Free”.  It will take several weeks to review this chapter, so I hope you will continue to come back each week. 

Nancy Leigh DeMoss encourages her readers to take time to savor these liberating, life-changing truths.  She suggests saying each Truth aloud, again and again until your thinking becomes aligned with God’s way of thinking. 

Here is the eighteenth truth:

Personal holiness is more important than temporal happiness.

“…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”  Ephesians 5:26-27

Some believe that when they become a Christian they will not have any problems.  They think that their life will be a bed of roses and they will not have any trials or hardships.  It is not long before they realize that this is not true.  Becoming a Christian does not guarantee you a life free of trials, sickness or unhappiness.  Actually if you are a Christian you can expect various trials.  

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  James 1:2-4

Paul doesn’t write count it all joy IF you fall into various trials, but rather WHEN.  We can know that the trials will come because God’s Word tells us.  Is that encouraging to you?  If not, look further.  Trials test our faith and produce patience.  Patience makes us perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

The world around us today tells us otherwise.  It contradicts God’s Word.  We are bombarded daily by various ways to avoid trials or unhappiness.  If your husband doesn’t make you happy anymore, divorce him.  If your kids aren’t behaving perfectly, send them to the specialists.  If you are not getting what you want from anyone or anything, move on.  There is no reason for you not to be happy.  You deserve to be happy.  And the same thing is taught to our children. 

I am hesitant to say it… but is the same thing going on in some of our churches?  If you are not happy with what your church offers, disregard your commitment and move on.  I am not speaking of theological differences or other valid reasons for leaving a church.  However, I do think that sometimes we find it easier to move on somewhere else than to stay and work on a problem we see.  For example, if you would like to have more women’s activities in your church, why not start one yourself?  Many times we sit around waiting for someone else to do it and all along we could be doing it instead. 

“God did not save us to make us happy in a temporal sense--- He saved us to ‘redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.’ (Titus 2:14)”  Nancy Leigh DeMoss, page 262

Sometimes the choosing holiness will require sacrifice.  But that sacrifice is temporary and can’t be compared to the joy and fulfillment we will gain in eternity.  One through seeking to  be holy can we ever experience true happiness.  (DeMoss page 263)

Are you eager to do good?  Willing to sacrifice your happiness to do what is right?  Seeking to be holy? 

~Theresa