Netherwood Park church of Christ -- Sharp(er) Focus

VOL. 30
JULY   19, 1998

NO. 29

 

HOW   DO   WE   DEAL   WITH   STRUGGLES ?

 

          Not long ago the elders and I were asked to teach our teens on Wednesday nights for a while.   I decided to ask our young people to fill out a brief questionaire and tell me what some of the questions were that they would like to discuss.   The key question was. "Tell me one or things you have always wondered about concerning Christianity.   What questions would you like for us to discuss seriously in this class?"   I was very pleased at the thoughtful responses our young people gave.   As the elders and I have been teaching this class this summer, we have tried to deal with many of the things our teens said they would like to discuss.

          One of the questions was the one in the title of this article, "How do we deal with struggles?"   The person who wrote this question did not elaborate and so I don't know specifically what struggles this young person might have had.   However it is a question that every person has at one time or another.   Life is difficult at times.   Trying to live a Christian life in a world filled with all kinds of sin in a struggle.   Just coping with the roadblocks and detours lift often brings is a struggle.   Dealing with people is often a struggle.   We may sometimes wonder if "struggle" is not a synonym for "life" !

          So, how do we deal with struggles?   Obviously in a short article such as this, we cannot go very deep into possible answers, but here are some things that may help us.

  1. We must take advantage of time and opportunity to develop strong faith.   Faith has two major components:   belief and trust.   ---->>>>Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (v.12). No, we don’t earn our salvation, but living the Christian life takes hard, life-long work. We have been "created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Eph. 2:10). These are works of obedience which give life to our faith. They are good works of service to others because we are servants just as our Savior came to be a Servant. Good works are light in the darkness.
  2. "Do everything without complaining or arguing"(v.14). When we think of what Jesus went through here on earth to save us, what do we have to complain about? Nothing we suffer could begin to compare with what He suffered. Arguing divides the body, the church which is Christ’s bride and God’s family. Do we have the right to divide it by our petty arguing? Complaining and arguing brings darkness. Peacemakers spread light.
  3. "Hold out the word of life" (v.16). We are to hold God’s word in our heart to change our own life, we are to uphold the word of God and defend it against false teaching, but here Paul is saying we must "hold out" God’s word to others - to this dark world! No one can be saved without the saving word of God. There is no other way to know about salvation in Christ. There is no one to hold out the word to the world except us. David said, "Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my way." Let’s share the light by being light.

          James reminds us that trials strengthen our character and our faith.   God allows us to struggle, but He will help us get through them and He will strengthen us in each trial so that we will be equipped to get through the next trial and also to help some one else in their struggles (James 1:2ff).

 

-- Wayne Sharp

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