Worship

Scripture

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade right? It is what comes out when a lemon is pressed. You must excerpt a certain amount of external pressure for it to cave in. Once it caves in, what was hidden inside comes out. Similarly, a diamond is formed through a certain amount of external pressure. Despite this, the pressure is what forms the diamond. It makes it stronger. To the point that a diamond is one of the hardest rocks found.  

In this book Peter speaks a whole lot about external pressures. He talks about holiness as a result of suffering and persecution. He even goes as far as to say that those who suffer in the flesh cease to sin for, they understand and can identify with Christ. That there is no moment that we look more like Christ than when we are suffering. Despite all this, suffering is something that in our culture is seen as extremely negative. It is seen as something that you should avoid at all costs and at times even seen as God’s hand. Biblically, this is not the case. The disciples in fact learn to rejoice in their suffering for it proved that they are following Jesus. Completely different understandings. 

What a great honor it is to be able to identify with Christ. This happens through suffering. I am not saying that you should go out into the world looking for ways to suffer, but I am saying that maybe we should change our perspective on suffering. We might see that the external pressure may make us cave in like a lemon juice, but if you learn how to suffer it will make you stronger like a diamond. To learn how to suffer is to learn how to use the external pressures to form us and push us further into holiness. 

I want to end with 5 Peter 10 “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Prayer

HONOR GOD

At the end of the day, our most satisfying life is when God is most glorified. How can you glorify Him today?

ASK GOD

Healing comes by confession. Ask God to meet you through the confessions of your heart and heal you. What do you need to confess to Him?

SUBMIT TO GOD

Our God is unshakable! Commit your day to Him in reverence and awe!

CLOSING PRAYER

God, You work in mysterious ways! You don’t look to the strongest or most famous to inherit the Kingdom! I believe You’ve called me to Your cause even if I don’t see the “action” all the time. Thank You for showing me that I can have impact even in the simplest ways.  In Jesus Name, Amen.