{"id":913,"date":"2011-06-27T05:11:09","date_gmt":"2011-06-27T09:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=913"},"modified":"2011-06-28T07:13:14","modified_gmt":"2011-06-28T11:13:14","slug":"enduring-the-hardships-of-living-for-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/06\/enduring-the-hardships-of-living-for-christ.html","title":{"rendered":"Leadership–Enduring the hardships of living for Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, I was reminded me that God called Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage.\u00a0\u00a0Then God deliberately hindered Moses’ efforts to succeed.\u00a0 You remember the story, Moses came from his 40 year respite in the desert to lead the people of Israel out of bondage.\"\"<\/p>\n

However, the Bible says that God hardened Pharoah’s heart at every turn.\u00a0 Rather than God cooperating with Moses, God fought his success.\u00a0 After his baptism, Jesus was driven into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the devil.<\/p>\n

With so much scriptural evidence of God’s determination to strengthen his Chosen Ones through hardship, resistance and persecution, we still\u00a0are captured by the illusion\u00a0that our journey will be different. Somehow we believe that we will be able to mount the wings of the Holy Spirit and sail over the hardships of life and ministry only touched by the gently caressing\u00a0breezes of God’s grace and mercy.<\/p>\n

The truth is that none of us escape.\u00a0 Each is buffeted though the winds and storms of life valiantly clinging to the cross for our strength.\u00a0 You see, it is the cross and the resurrection that is the center of our experience with Christ.\u00a0 We must never forget that each time resurrection occurs, there has been a crucifixion of self.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Is there joy?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Is there peace.\u00a0 Yes, unspeakable peace.\u00a0 Is there life without conflict and hurt.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 But we survive the rebukes and discouragements and pain and walk out of the fire refined.\u00a0 Johnnie Lord, wife of Peter Lord, once said, “God isn’t interested in\u00a0my performance but in my obedience.”\u00a0 In your Christian life and especially in ministry, performance and even\u00a0success doesn’t count.\u00a0 Obedience does.<\/p>\n

What about you?\u00a0 Have you been going through fire this past week or year?\u00a0 Have you been able to seek Christ through the pain and hurt?<\/p>\n

photo by lgh<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recently, I was reminded me that God called Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage.\u00a0\u00a0Then God deliberately hindered Moses’ efforts to succeed.\u00a0 You remember the story, Moses came from his 40 year respite in the desert to lead the people of Israel out of bondage. However, the Bible says that God hardened…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,3,40,10,16,147,8,85,12,4,41],"tags":[690,21,688,696,7,18,699,167,703,701,694,689,57,692,6,700],"class_list":["post-913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-church","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-inspirational","category-intellectual-disability","category-leadership","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-prayer-2","category-religion","category-simple-truths","category-spirituality","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-church","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-discipleship","tag-faith","tag-hardship-in-ministry","tag-humor","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-prayer","tag-religion","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nLeadership-Enduring the hardships of living for Christ - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/06\/enduring-the-hardships-of-living-for-christ.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Leadership-Enduring the hardships of living for Christ - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Recently, I was reminded me that God called Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage.\u00a0\u00a0Then God deliberately hindered Moses’ efforts to succeed.\u00a0 You remember the story, Moses came from his 40 year respite in the desert to lead the people of Israel out of bondage. 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