Press On

Focus Scriptures

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Romans 5: 3-4 (NIV)
3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.

The ability to press on is about perspective and how we view our current circumstances.  We get more of what we focus on.  If we feel that everything is hard and heavy we will be weighed down and not able to fulfill the purpose that God has for us.  We will never see the dream come to reality.  But remember and rest in the knowledge that what each trouble brings is glory that far exceeds the momentary pain and suffering.

Our character and hope develops in our trials and suffering.  In this process God is able to remove those things that bind us and in doing so, He leaves us refreshed, renewed, re-created to do the work that He has called us to do.  And know this… this is never a once and done event.  This is a process that moves us forward toward God and His will.

God will use our trials to continue to shape us toward His purpose, His vision, His mission, and His goals.  Even our mistakes can be used by God.  God can use those times when others intentionally seek to hurt us. God will bring to pass what must be done to work out for His glory.

Remember, we get more of what we focus on.  Therefore focus on God.  To help us see the big picture we need to trust in God’s timing.  When we adopt God’s timing we are able to take on an eternal perspective that lifts the burden from our strengths and places it in God’s strength.  We need to rest in God’s timing and develop perseverance.

God uses each situation to teach us something if we let Him do so.  He has a lesson for us to learn in each trial and situation.  What we need to know right from the start is perhaps the lesson God is teaching you is meant to help someone else.  When we share the lesson we have learned through offering testimony of a trial God has gotten us through, we may help someone who is in the middle of a similar trial get through it knowing that God is faithful.  Or we may help someone avoid a similar trial entirely.

God will use a variety of teaching methods including repetition to teach us the lessons He needs us to know or to move us to His agenda.  This process may be uncomfortable.  At these times we may pray for God to change our circumstances.  But what I have come to learn is that God would rather change us personally.  Although He can certainly change the circumstances we are in, that often leaves us unchanged.  God is more interested in using the suffering to build perseverance and perseverance to build character and character inspires hope.

We cannot give up.  God wants us to press on.