Lesson on life by Elisabeth Elliot

"LET NOT OUR LONGING SLAY THE APPETITE OF OUR LIVING"

"There were times, i'm sure, when if anyone had tried to talk to me of the happiness of heaven I would have turned away in a huff. The painful thing was that other folks had not only heaven to look forward to, but they have "all this and heaven, too,"...I was covetous. When Paul wrote to the Roman Christians about the happy certainty of heaven, he went on to say, "This doesn't mean, of course, that we have only a hope of future joys - we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles."

How often I say the words, "If only so-and-so was here to share this moment", "If only I had or I were or I could..." How often I want things to be "just so" and fail to really appreciate all that I have. How often I focus on the negative that has passed or may or may never even happen and forget the good that I mostly experience. Covetousness. Where does this lead me but spiralling downward into a bottomless pit of despair? Yet I still fall prey to this subtle sin...

When faced with a difficult situation, I have the following choices:

1. Rebel - think that God does not love me if this situation is His will
2. Reject - think that if this is what God is giving that I want no part in it
3. Excercise Faith - think that God knows exactly what He is doing
3. Accept - think God loves me and plans good things for me so I'll take this

My aim needs to read - to be "full of joy here and now" by "taking everything in the right spirit of trust in God"

Taken in the right spirit, these things will give patient endurance, which in turn will develop a mature character, a character that produces a steady hope that will never disappoint (Romans 5:3)