There is always a purpose...
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything….Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:2-4; 12
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Col 3:23-24
So this past Saturday I was at my church helping decorate for adventure week. It’s kind of like NorthStar’s version of VBS. When I got to the church I was assigned the job of painting the primer on the boards they were going to being using on the stage. Our pastor’s wife Anne was there helping as well. She came outside for a little while to help me prime the boards. Anne and I got to talking, and what seemed like such a simple conversation now seems so profound. What was said has been stuck in my head ever since. She said it in a joking tone, “I hate priming.” Then I said joking, “haha..because nobody sees it?” Then with a laugh Anne says “exactly!”
It then dawned on me how many of us feel that way sometimes. When we are going through something, or working on something. So many times we get frustrated because we feel like we are not being noticed, or that we are going through all this for nothing. I know there have been times that in the midst of the storm or trial you feel like, whats the point to this; no one sees what I am going through. Or, no one is going to know about A, B, or C. Then I thought about how important priming is when you are painting.
I love this definition of primer from Wikipedia “A primer is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the material being painted”
There may be things that are going on in our lives, or have gone on in our lives and we don’t understand why they happened or whey they are happening. Maybe those things are your primer. No one may know all the work you put in, or that you even went through something like what you are going through. But God sees. There is a purpose in everything. Nothing is wasted.
I know there have been times in my life that when I was going through something I didn’t understand in the moment, but when Jesus brings you out on the other side, I see how that was used to shape my faith. To make me stand even more firm.
One moment stands out as I write this. I was going through a season of just frustrated, and also mad that all my friends were getting married. A guy that I HAD liked (as in not anymore,or for awhile, might i add) was getting married. It was not sitting well with me to say the least. I didn’t understand why I had gone through heartbreak after heartbreak. Why were these guys, who were, to me, great Christian guys, why was nothing more that a friendship coming out it. Why were they going off and marrying other girls, while I was still single…waiting. Then I read a book that God used set my heart free. The book was “wilderness skills for women: by Marian Jordan. And in it she said something that was so profound to me. “Life’s rejections are God’s protection. We have to learn to see our circumstances through the eyes of God’s sovereignty.” WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW! Once that sunk in, all the pain I had gone through became like primer in my life. Most people even if I told in detail, wouldn’t understand what I went through , and most people won’t understand or maybe even ever know what you have gone through fully, even it you told them. But you know and God knows. He has used those things to build a foundation in you and me of faith in Him. That He is who he says he is, He can do what he says he can do. At least that is how it has been in my life. I can look back and see God’s faithfulness in my life over and over again. Even though in the moments it seems like “why am I doing this?” Or “why am I going through this?” But in the end it is always worth it. It always makes for a much better quality when you’re done! It's always worth it! God always works all things out for our good and His ultimate glory!
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Col 3:23-24
So this past Saturday I was at my church helping decorate for adventure week. It’s kind of like NorthStar’s version of VBS. When I got to the church I was assigned the job of painting the primer on the boards they were going to being using on the stage. Our pastor’s wife Anne was there helping as well. She came outside for a little while to help me prime the boards. Anne and I got to talking, and what seemed like such a simple conversation now seems so profound. What was said has been stuck in my head ever since. She said it in a joking tone, “I hate priming.” Then I said joking, “haha..because nobody sees it?” Then with a laugh Anne says “exactly!”
It then dawned on me how many of us feel that way sometimes. When we are going through something, or working on something. So many times we get frustrated because we feel like we are not being noticed, or that we are going through all this for nothing. I know there have been times that in the midst of the storm or trial you feel like, whats the point to this; no one sees what I am going through. Or, no one is going to know about A, B, or C. Then I thought about how important priming is when you are painting.
I love this definition of primer from Wikipedia “A primer is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the material being painted”
There may be things that are going on in our lives, or have gone on in our lives and we don’t understand why they happened or whey they are happening. Maybe those things are your primer. No one may know all the work you put in, or that you even went through something like what you are going through. But God sees. There is a purpose in everything. Nothing is wasted.
I know there have been times in my life that when I was going through something I didn’t understand in the moment, but when Jesus brings you out on the other side, I see how that was used to shape my faith. To make me stand even more firm.
One moment stands out as I write this. I was going through a season of just frustrated, and also mad that all my friends were getting married. A guy that I HAD liked (as in not anymore,or for awhile, might i add) was getting married. It was not sitting well with me to say the least. I didn’t understand why I had gone through heartbreak after heartbreak. Why were these guys, who were, to me, great Christian guys, why was nothing more that a friendship coming out it. Why were they going off and marrying other girls, while I was still single…waiting. Then I read a book that God used set my heart free. The book was “wilderness skills for women: by Marian Jordan. And in it she said something that was so profound to me. “Life’s rejections are God’s protection. We have to learn to see our circumstances through the eyes of God’s sovereignty.” WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW! Once that sunk in, all the pain I had gone through became like primer in my life. Most people even if I told in detail, wouldn’t understand what I went through , and most people won’t understand or maybe even ever know what you have gone through fully, even it you told them. But you know and God knows. He has used those things to build a foundation in you and me of faith in Him. That He is who he says he is, He can do what he says he can do. At least that is how it has been in my life. I can look back and see God’s faithfulness in my life over and over again. Even though in the moments it seems like “why am I doing this?” Or “why am I going through this?” But in the end it is always worth it. It always makes for a much better quality when you’re done! It's always worth it! God always works all things out for our good and His ultimate glory!
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