“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” -Acts 23:11

Here we see a tiny porthole into Paul’s grace and patience in difficult times. He had just been arrested, and was nearly pulled to pieces in the midst of the controversies surrounding his new faith called Christianity. And how was he able to remain so calm and collected during this time? How could he continue to have faith in God?

Simple: because God told him this would happen.

Paul had just been arrested, and little did he know that he would remain in chains for what was most likely the rest of his life. Yet he never seemed to show any signs of anger or frustration, but continued on in complete faith. And in the verse above, we see a glimpse into why this was possible: “the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” Paul had been told ahead of time what was to befall him, and he knew what to expect.

Our expectations from God

In nearly all circumstances, when we know what to expect, we are better able to deal with a hardship. If we see something before it happens, we are better prepared, and persevere in faith.

In this Christian life, we ought to have proper expectations. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Knowing that persecution is a guarantee, we ought not to get offended or be surprised when it comes upon us. Jesus spoke of the troubles and difficulties that would befall His followers in the future, and He said the reason for telling them of these things was so they wouldn’t be offended by the things that God would have them to go through.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.” -John 16:1

An example from Scripture

Another example from the Bible is the story of Jacob and Laban. Jacob had fled from his brother Esau, and came to live with his uncle Laban. And Laban made a deal with Jacob: he would work for him for seven years in order to marry Laban’s daughter Rachel. And after seven years he was tricked, and married Rachel’s older sister Leah; and when Jacob finally left, he had ended up working 20 years for Laban.

Now, some may wonder how Jacob could ever have endured such a unfair and lengthy detour in life, yet just as with the apostle Paul in the New Testament, Jacob knew God’s will for his life, and chose to suffer through the hardships that came from the hand of God. For Jacob’s father Isaac had commanded him beforehand: “Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother” (Genesis 28:2). And so when he first met Rachel, he knew that it was God’s will for him to abide in the place where he was: whatever the price.

Furthermore, God had given Jacob His promise as he journeyed to Laban’s household. The Lord appeared to him at a place called Bethel, and said, “behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” (Genesis 28:15).

Knowing God’s will for our own lives

God doesn’t always tell us ahead of time what is going to happen in our lives, or why certain hardships have come upon us. (A good example of this is found in the book of Job.) Yet, it is crucial to know God’s will for the present time.

We ought to be able to answer some questions about our current circumstances:

• Is this happening because of sin?
• Have we confessed and forsaken any and all known sins?
• Is God afflicting us to teach us a lesson?
• If we are to learn a lesson, are we willing to stick it out to the end and allow God to fully teach us of His ways?
• Have we previously turned away from God’s correction?
• Is there a great reward or goal that can be obtained by enduring this hardship?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” -Romans 12:1-2

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain, I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

-When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Isaac Watts

The poetic lines of the first verse of this well-known hymn are full of meaning. Perhaps one of the most illustrative examples is in the single word: pour. When we see the work that Jesus Christ has done on the Cross, we pour contempt on our pride.

This phrase, pouring out contempt on our pride, invokes an image of an evil fire of pride that burns within each of our hearts: one that we ought to extinguish by pouring upon it the sobering water of contempt. When we survey that wondrous Cross of Christ, we ought to be so humbled by His loving sacrifice that we douse our own pride in the cooling waters of humility.

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,” -Galatians 6:14a

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” -Ephesians 5:18

In this verse, we see a somewhat unusual comparison: God’s Holy Spirit is compared to alcohol. That is to say, in the same way that alcohol causes people to act differently, and do things that they normally wouldn’t do, so too are we to be under the influence of God’s Spirit.

A few interesting observations can be made:

• When a person is drunk, they are still responsible for their actions. Do we excuse them simply because they are drunk? Is alcohol alone able to cause a car accident? Can a glass wine bottle drive a car? In the same way, (except this time with good deeds instead of bad ones), when we are filled with God’s Spirit, we are still responsible for our actions. We are still considered the ones that are performing God’s will, yet it is simply God’s Spirit that is enabling us to do the work.

• Just as a person makes a conscious decision to take a drink of alcohol, so too can we make a conscious decision to allow God’s Spirit into our lives. If a person decides to take a drink, he/she may not know where they will end up, or what things they may end up doing, (usually with negative consequences), but it did begin with an initial decision to take that first drink. Likewise, we may not fully know where God’s plan will lead us in life, but we can make an active decision to allow Him to lead us in whatever path He may have for us. Yet with God, His ways and His paths are good, and end in gladness.

• Even as alcohol can break down a person’s natural inhibitions, and self-consciousness, so too does God’s Spirit strengthen us. As the former breaks down our resistance to do shameful and wicked things, the latter conquers our inhibitions that stand in the way of doing right. Being filled with the Holy Spirit overcomes our own pride and love of self-comfort, and allows us to reach out to others with the gospel, taking no thought of our own reputation with the world.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” -Galatians 5:16-17

“Quench not the Spirit.” -1 Thessalonians 5:19

In a number of places in the New Testament, we are advised and warned to treat God’s Holy Spirit as an honored guest. We are told not to grieve Him. And, as a heavenly fire burning in the true church of God, we are not to quench or extinguish this fire.

While there are a number of ways that we can offend God’s Spirit, perhaps none is so great than sin. Yet in many ways, only a few things will actually quench God’s Spirit. That is to say, at the very moment that we begin to ignore God’s promptings and leadings, we grieve Him. From there, His Spirit is quenched, and we subsequently commit sin.

It is not that a multitude of sins quench the Spirit, but rather, that once God’s Spirit has been quenched through ignorance and indifference, sin is made possible.

In the world, God is grieved with the heathen when they sin in abundance; yet in the church, He is much more sensitive. He is much closer to His own anointed family, and is thus more easily grieved. It has been said that you are only hurt by those that you love, and that may be true for God as well.

A source of grief

As stated above, I believe one of the chief ways that a Christian quenches or grieves the Spirit of God is through indifference. If God’s Spirit is perhaps prompting us to do something—say a kind word, pray for someone, take a stand against worldliness, or do a good deed—and we ignore that call, we are quenching His Spirit.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” -John 14:23

Notice in the verse above, that if we truly love God, we will do the things that He commands us. Yet, how many times in life do we get that feeling that God wants us to do something kind for someone else, or stand up against some evil, or any number of other things that God can whisper in our ear, or place upon our hearts: and we outright ignore His callings.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” -John 14:15

We have an opportunity to do God’s will, and we refuse. We have an opportunity to make God happy, and we decline. We are able to do something pleasing in His sight, and we go our own way instead. In all these situations, I believe we are grieving God’s Holy Spirit, and losing many blessings.

If we truly love God, we ought to seek to please Him, and do the things that He desires for us to do.

What if an opportunity came up for you to do something for someone that you loved very dearly? What would you do if you were given a chance to do something for that person that would make them very happy, and it would take only a minimal amount of extra time or energy? Would you do it? If we love the person, we surely would!

If we would be so willing to do even small things for one that we love, how much more ought we to be willing to go to the greatest extremes to bring joy to the one who has died for us?

As the famous hymn states:

“Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

-When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Isaac Watts

“Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” -Psalm 97:11

Here is a wonderful picture formed with words in Scripture: that light is planted as a seed for those that are righteous. Likewise, gladness is planted as a seed for those that are upright in heart.

This verse immediately reminded me of a section I wrote in the chapter Deceitful Roses, the 27th chapter of Tears from a Lonely God:

My little child, come to Me. Little one, know that your mind is dark, and that you are helplessly lost without My light. Pray for My light. Your mind is a twisting, turning, entangled and dark labyrinth of carnality. It is as dark, shadowed soil where no light may shine. Pray therefore that My seeds of light may be planted within you – that the illuminating roots may work their way down further and further into the soil of your mind. Pray for this luminous growth.

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” -2 Timothy 2:3

Sometimes in our lives, we go through hard times where we have to do nothing other than endure. The greatest victory that can be won in such times is simply to not give up. There are times in life when our sole responsibility in Christ is to hold on, and hold out. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). That is to say, act like men, and be strong.

Joshua’s example

The apostle Paul’s exhortation to “be strong,” wasn’t the first listed in the Bible, many other before him were given the same advice. Unto Joshua were these words spoken by the Lord: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

Why did God chose to tell Joshua to be strong and courageous? Why did Paul tell the Corinthians to act like men? Why did he tell Timothy to endure hardness?

In all these examples, the admonition to endure and persevere came in the face of hardship and struggle. While joy and happiness is a mark of God’s people, such things can at times be overwhelmed with sorrow: if it is but for a short time. And, in the midst of these trials and heartaches, God’s answer is to persevere.

The necessity for endurance and strength

At the dawning of Joshua’s invasion campaign into Canaan, God told Joshua to be strong, and courageous. He didn’t tell Joshua, “this is going to be so much fun to go to war, you ought to enjoy yourself.” He did not say, “you are about to inherit the promised land, so you ought to be happy!”

No, the joy and happiness would come later: after the victory. At the present, Joshua needed courage. He needed strength. He simply needed to endure the hardships that were facing him.

And even the apostle Paul wrote of times of trouble and hardship, where peace left him for a season:

“I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.” -2 Corinthians 2:13

It is not expected of us to be happy and joyful at all times. But rather, when we are come through the trial, we can give thanks for all things, and derive joy from even the most painful moments of life. Afterward. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

Paul writes that there are times of testing and correction in a believer’s life, which we can be thankful for, yes: but not necessarily while while we are in the moment of pain. We’re not expected to have a big smile about everything: but we can have joy afterward in knowing that God works all things for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” -Hebrews 12:11

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” -Psalm 94:19

That is to say, in the numerous and many worries that are stirring in our mind and heart, God’s comforts are a delight to our soul.

When we are completely overwhelmed, God can comfort us:

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” -Psalm 61:2

That “rock” that is higher than ourselves is none other than Jesus Christ. And He has promised that we will have peace in Him, not by somehow magically taking away all of our pains and troubles, but rather, but giving us comfort through the power of His Spirit. He promises to be an anchor and a rock for our souls in the midst of the storm, but not necessarily to avoid bad weather altogether.

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” -John 14:26-27

And again, Jesus says:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33