Glimpses of Truth
The Product of Pressure . . .
There are many things that come our way. Some of them are good; some of them, we think, are bad. How do we receive the things that we consider good, and how do we receive the things that we consider bad? Usually they are observed and treated totally differently.
However, our God is in complete charge of all that comes. Some are by His direct hand; others are by His allowing them to come our way.
Someone has said, “A Christian is like a teabag: not worth much ‘till he’s been through some hot water.”
Been through any hot water lately? Probably so. We are products of the pressures that come our way. How do we handle the pressure?
Times of pressure can be, if we allow them to be, eternally profitable. God allows tests to come our way not to destroy us but to strengthen us. There are a number of illustrations that we might use. One might be that it is the pressed flower that releases the enchanting aroma. It is the crushed fruit that produces the tasty juice. It is the fiery furnace that yields the hard steel. It is the pressure and the heat of the earth’s elements that create the beautiful diamond.
Do we consider the pressures around us as being that which can enhance our lives for the glory of God? We should.
A.B. Simpson wrote, “Out of the pressures of pain cometh the soul’s best wine. The eyes that have shed no rain can shed but little shine.”
One thing that is certain is that pressures are a common experience to all of us, a daily part of our living. No matter what our circumstances are, we are not immune to pressure. Also, they may appear to be eternal, but thankfully they are temporary. But maybe most importantly, they are opportunities for us to learn, for us to grow, for us to mature, for us to grow close to our Lord. Therefore, they should not be wasted.
Our Lord never promised us an easy journey, but He did promise a safe and triumphant landing.
Pressures? Yes, you have some right now. Allow God to use them to produce in you the beauty of His grace.
