This testimony was prepared and written for young people. To read my testimony in order click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.
So I learned to take every situation and learn from it, but I was having trouble with the whole “rejoice” part of it. I was continually grumbling! I was like, “God, here I am doing all these things for you. I am learning. I am sharing my story. And I'm still not married, I'm in a job I don't really like, I still feel like I'm not good enough, I still feel ashamed sometimes, I still feel stupid sometimes, I still don't have really good character yet, I lose my temper, I revert to old sinful ways sometimes. Etc!!!” I remember reading through Exodus around that time. I read how the Israelites complained. I remember feeling sick in my stomach and afraid. I stopped reading because I was like, “God, I read the Bible so I can feel good. Here I am doing you a favor God by reading your Word and I feel awful.” It took me some time but God finally helped me to hear what He was trying to say to me, “You are just like the Israelites.” I knew it was true. All I did was pout and complain and grumble in my heart. I was saying God you have it all wrong. What an awful attitude to have towards the Creator and Owner of this world and of me. Around this time I read a short book recommended to me by my pastor's wife. The girl in the book was wondering why God had her walk through valleys and deserts when He'd told He would take her to high places. I felt the same way! Why God? Why did I give so much away to that guy? Why am I not married? Why do I have to work here at this awful job? Why do I have work nights? Why does that person get married and I'm still single? Why? Grumble, Grumble. Grumble. I was so ungrateful for all that He gave me. The girl in the book finally understood that God may not give her answers and that she is to accept all things from Him with joy. So I started doing it. I started being thankful for all things the good and the bad. It was WONDERFUL!! I just thanked and not just thanked, but I thanked Him joyfully. I tried to be joyful always!! It made me feel so great!!
We should be thankful ALWAYS in ALL things. We should PURSUE joy in HIM. The Bible says of the Israelites in Deuteronomy 28:47-48, “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart... therefore you shall serve your enemies”. Our lives should be lived in service to God. God owns you. You better be glad in Him. John Piper puts it like this, “You exist forever. There is no use protesting that you did not ask to exist and would like not to. That is not an option. You and God are both in the universe to stay – either as friends on His terms, or enemies.” I vote the “friends on His terms” and that includes being joyfully obedient to whatever life He calls me to. The Bible says in Psalm 37:3-6, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
Part Five
So I learned to take every situation and learn from it, but I was having trouble with the whole “rejoice” part of it. I was continually grumbling! I was like, “God, here I am doing all these things for you. I am learning. I am sharing my story. And I'm still not married, I'm in a job I don't really like, I still feel like I'm not good enough, I still feel ashamed sometimes, I still feel stupid sometimes, I still don't have really good character yet, I lose my temper, I revert to old sinful ways sometimes. Etc!!!” I remember reading through Exodus around that time. I read how the Israelites complained. I remember feeling sick in my stomach and afraid. I stopped reading because I was like, “God, I read the Bible so I can feel good. Here I am doing you a favor God by reading your Word and I feel awful.” It took me some time but God finally helped me to hear what He was trying to say to me, “You are just like the Israelites.” I knew it was true. All I did was pout and complain and grumble in my heart. I was saying God you have it all wrong. What an awful attitude to have towards the Creator and Owner of this world and of me. Around this time I read a short book recommended to me by my pastor's wife. The girl in the book was wondering why God had her walk through valleys and deserts when He'd told He would take her to high places. I felt the same way! Why God? Why did I give so much away to that guy? Why am I not married? Why do I have to work here at this awful job? Why do I have work nights? Why does that person get married and I'm still single? Why? Grumble, Grumble. Grumble. I was so ungrateful for all that He gave me. The girl in the book finally understood that God may not give her answers and that she is to accept all things from Him with joy. So I started doing it. I started being thankful for all things the good and the bad. It was WONDERFUL!! I just thanked and not just thanked, but I thanked Him joyfully. I tried to be joyful always!! It made me feel so great!!
We should be thankful ALWAYS in ALL things. We should PURSUE joy in HIM. The Bible says of the Israelites in Deuteronomy 28:47-48, “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart... therefore you shall serve your enemies”. Our lives should be lived in service to God. God owns you. You better be glad in Him. John Piper puts it like this, “You exist forever. There is no use protesting that you did not ask to exist and would like not to. That is not an option. You and God are both in the universe to stay – either as friends on His terms, or enemies.” I vote the “friends on His terms” and that includes being joyfully obedient to whatever life He calls me to. The Bible says in Psalm 37:3-6, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
Part Five
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