The Best Things In Life…

“Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22.).

The best things of life come out of wounding. Wheat is crushed before it becomes bread. Incense must be cast upon the fire before its odors are set free. The ground must be broken with the sharp plow before it is ready to receive the seed. It is the broken heart that pleases God. The sweetest joys in life are the fruits of sorrow. Human nature seems to need suffering to fit it for being a blessing to the world.

F.W. Roberston from Streams in the Desert

Romans 5:1-11

 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die– but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

David wrote to the LORD in Psalm 51: 16-17:  For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.   The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart– These, O God, You will not despise.

The Creator God, our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ  never intended for us to try and please Him or live a joy-filled life in “our own power”.  I think we’ve all figured out that it’s impossible to do.   I know it may sound very simplistic, but God desires only one thing from each of us.  Our heart–given in love and joy, knowing that

“… He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” Ephesians 6:20