“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11, ESV)
As Jennifer looked over the previous year, she was shocked at the consequences for her best friend, Sue. The year started off with Sue mentioning that she had a new boss at work. For several weeks at their weekly girls’ night out, Sue complained to Jennifer that her boss was demanding even if he was good looking. Then, two months later, Sue confided that she was having marriage problems. Then, one summer day, Sue announced that she was divorcing her husband. Reeling from the news, Jennifer tried to comfort Sue only to realize that Sue didn’t seem upset about the ending of her marriage. She just seemed anxious.
Jennifer prayed constantly for Sue. Jennifer worried about Sue’s financial situation, about Sue’s children, and about the ramifications of the divorce. Jennifer spoke to her pastor about what to say and how to help her best friend. Jennifer tried to be supportive, spending many hours listening to Sue cry over the phone and agonize over her past.
Then, just a few months after Sue separated from her husband, with the divorce pending, Sue announced to Jennifer that she was dating someone. When Jennifer inquired about who it was and why she was dating while going through divorce, Sue declared that she had been having an affair with her boss from work. Jennifer was blown away by the news. She could hardly believe it. Sue hadn’t been going through a bad marriage and difficult divorce due to problems with her husband. Sue wanted to leave her husband to marry her “good looking” boss.
Jennifer saw a lot of things fall apart due to Sue’s affair. Sue’s family members took sides. Friends stopped talking to Sue when they found out about the affair. People at work treated Sue differently. Then, on a cold November Day, Sue came over to Jennifer’s apartment with bad news. Sue’s boss had ended their relationship and fired Sue. Now, Sue was out of work, her children were trying to figure out living arrangements, and her husband had moved out. Sue asked Jennifer if she should try to patch things up with her husband before the divorce was finalized.
Jennifer could hardly listen without all kinds of emotions blowing up inside. Jennifer was angry at Sue for hiding her affair, terribly upset at Sue for wrecking the lives of her children and husband, and livid as friends and family took sides over the separation. Now, what was Jennifer to do? Was she supposed to support Sue through this difficult time, even though Sue was the one to take a wrecking ball to her life? Was Jennifer supposed to let go of the past and help her move on? What was Jennifer going to say to Sue’s husband? How was Jennifer to pray with Sue, now knowing the truth? So many questions…. with so few answers.
As Jennifer prayed to God asking for direction, a thought came to her mind. She was never going to do to her family what Sue had done. Jennifer begged God to keep her on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. She asked God to help her be more discerning so not to make the same mistakes as she saw Sue making. The more Jennifer prayed to God about Sue, the more Jennifer realized that faith helped Jennifer to make fewer mistakes. A strong belief in God helped Jennifer to make better decisions, look to God for direction, find peace, and feel joy despite the burdens of life. Jennifer’s prayer time took a turn last December. She found that thanksgiving, praise, and peace were becoming more dominant in prayer time.
Sometimes, God uses certain events to help you find wisdom and be more faithful. God can even use the failures of others to teach you lessons about the choices you make and the friends you keep. The scripture for today proves the point.
After mentioning how the Israelites had failed God in the wilderness, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:6 how that memory brings “warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did”. Paul brought up the sin of Israel in the wilderness to remind the faithful that sin has consequences. Worshipping the golden calf in the wilderness led to separation from God and death (1 Corinthians 10:7-8). Then, in the scripture chosen for today, Paul reaffirms that “these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Paul saw the lives of those in the Bible as instructive on how to live a faithful life. Biblical examples will inform good decision-making IN YOU! They help YOU to be wise. They keep YOU from falling into sin. They keep YOU honest with God. But it’s not just examples in scripture that God uses to teach you how to be faithful. Like with Jennifer, sometimes events in your life will force you to examine your faith, deepen your knowledge, or increase your godly wisdom.
Since our God is active in your life, God will use events and people in present times to inform and increase your wisdom. Difficult moments may push you to dig deep in the Bible for answers to your problems. Faithful friends will speak words that God will use to inspire you. When you view situations from a godly perspective, you will learn from others’ actions and choices. Using insight from God, you will be able to separate out the good from the bad, the wise from the foolish. All the while, God wants you to grow closer. God wants you to learn from the mistakes of others. God will use scripture to enlighten you. God wants you to see faithful possibilities.
I guarantee that right now in your life, God wants you to look with discernment at something happening nearby. God will want you to examine that situation and learn some lessons. God doesn’t only work inside you! God will affect things all around you. God will even use the failures and sins of others to inform your decision-making capabilities and hone your values. Why does God show you the good and bad in life? Why are scriptures filled with mention of joy and faith as well as sin and failure? To help you learn, to grow, to have a rock-steady faith in the midst of chaos…. to be faithful where another might be faithless.
What is it that God is trying to teach you this week? How well are you learning your spiritual lessons? What scriptures are calling out to you? What is the Holy Spirit whispering that you need to see or perceive?
Jennifer prayed constantly for Sue. Jennifer worried about Sue’s financial situation, about Sue’s children, and about the ramifications of the divorce. Jennifer spoke to her pastor about what to say and how to help her best friend. Jennifer tried to be supportive, spending many hours listening to Sue cry over the phone and agonize over her past.
Then, just a few months after Sue separated from her husband, with the divorce pending, Sue announced to Jennifer that she was dating someone. When Jennifer inquired about who it was and why she was dating while going through divorce, Sue declared that she had been having an affair with her boss from work. Jennifer was blown away by the news. She could hardly believe it. Sue hadn’t been going through a bad marriage and difficult divorce due to problems with her husband. Sue wanted to leave her husband to marry her “good looking” boss.
Jennifer saw a lot of things fall apart due to Sue’s affair. Sue’s family members took sides. Friends stopped talking to Sue when they found out about the affair. People at work treated Sue differently. Then, on a cold November Day, Sue came over to Jennifer’s apartment with bad news. Sue’s boss had ended their relationship and fired Sue. Now, Sue was out of work, her children were trying to figure out living arrangements, and her husband had moved out. Sue asked Jennifer if she should try to patch things up with her husband before the divorce was finalized.
Jennifer could hardly listen without all kinds of emotions blowing up inside. Jennifer was angry at Sue for hiding her affair, terribly upset at Sue for wrecking the lives of her children and husband, and livid as friends and family took sides over the separation. Now, what was Jennifer to do? Was she supposed to support Sue through this difficult time, even though Sue was the one to take a wrecking ball to her life? Was Jennifer supposed to let go of the past and help her move on? What was Jennifer going to say to Sue’s husband? How was Jennifer to pray with Sue, now knowing the truth? So many questions…. with so few answers.
As Jennifer prayed to God asking for direction, a thought came to her mind. She was never going to do to her family what Sue had done. Jennifer begged God to keep her on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. She asked God to help her be more discerning so not to make the same mistakes as she saw Sue making. The more Jennifer prayed to God about Sue, the more Jennifer realized that faith helped Jennifer to make fewer mistakes. A strong belief in God helped Jennifer to make better decisions, look to God for direction, find peace, and feel joy despite the burdens of life. Jennifer’s prayer time took a turn last December. She found that thanksgiving, praise, and peace were becoming more dominant in prayer time.
Sometimes, God uses certain events to help you find wisdom and be more faithful. God can even use the failures of others to teach you lessons about the choices you make and the friends you keep. The scripture for today proves the point.
After mentioning how the Israelites had failed God in the wilderness, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:6 how that memory brings “warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did”. Paul brought up the sin of Israel in the wilderness to remind the faithful that sin has consequences. Worshipping the golden calf in the wilderness led to separation from God and death (1 Corinthians 10:7-8). Then, in the scripture chosen for today, Paul reaffirms that “these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Paul saw the lives of those in the Bible as instructive on how to live a faithful life. Biblical examples will inform good decision-making IN YOU! They help YOU to be wise. They keep YOU from falling into sin. They keep YOU honest with God. But it’s not just examples in scripture that God uses to teach you how to be faithful. Like with Jennifer, sometimes events in your life will force you to examine your faith, deepen your knowledge, or increase your godly wisdom.
Since our God is active in your life, God will use events and people in present times to inform and increase your wisdom. Difficult moments may push you to dig deep in the Bible for answers to your problems. Faithful friends will speak words that God will use to inspire you. When you view situations from a godly perspective, you will learn from others’ actions and choices. Using insight from God, you will be able to separate out the good from the bad, the wise from the foolish. All the while, God wants you to grow closer. God wants you to learn from the mistakes of others. God will use scripture to enlighten you. God wants you to see faithful possibilities.
I guarantee that right now in your life, God wants you to look with discernment at something happening nearby. God will want you to examine that situation and learn some lessons. God doesn’t only work inside you! God will affect things all around you. God will even use the failures and sins of others to inform your decision-making capabilities and hone your values. Why does God show you the good and bad in life? Why are scriptures filled with mention of joy and faith as well as sin and failure? To help you learn, to grow, to have a rock-steady faith in the midst of chaos…. to be faithful where another might be faithless.
What is it that God is trying to teach you this week? How well are you learning your spiritual lessons? What scriptures are calling out to you? What is the Holy Spirit whispering that you need to see or perceive?