Learning in the Valley (pt 2)

God does not want negative elements from the past to lie around our lives and cause us trouble. Each of us is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and He wants us to be clean and usable vessels. We have no reason to allow the rubbish of the past to remain in our lives for years---old memories, haunting temptations, the baggage of unresolved hurts and unreconciled relationships. The Lord desires that we free ourselves of anything that might keep us in inner bondage, whether mentally, emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually. When we become complacent in accepting the hurts of the past as part of who we are, the Lord may bring a little adversity to lead us to pursue instead who we might be in Christ Jesus.

The effective lesson leads to change in behavior

Teachers often prepare behavioral objectives for their classroom lectures. These objectives list in concrete and measurable form the behaviors that the teacher desires for a student to display as proof that the student has learned the lesson. The lessons that the Lord teaches us through adversity are ultimately for that purpose: a change of behavior, including a change in the belief that prompted the behavior.

It isn't enough that the Lord gets our attention or that we engage in self-examination. We can see a problem and know ourselves thoroughly, but unless we change our response to God in some way, we will never benefit fully from adversity or grow as a result of it.

Self-examination may feel painful. But remember, whatever you find within yourself, Jesus Himself came to help you carry that burden to the cross and deal with it there, once and for all. He has your best interest in mind. He knows that pain sometimes paves the path to complete healing and restoration.

If you are willing to allow God to surface the inner rubbish of your life, and if you are willing to change what needs to be changed, you will emerge from adversity closer to Christ, more mature as His child, and with far greater potential to reflect the love of God to the world around you.

Devotional written by Jim Runkle (parts adapted from Charles Stanley's In Touch Ministries)