Are You Saying You Don't Trust Christ to Get You Through Difficult Times When You Get Frustrated or Worry?

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10

We all have troubling times and it's easy to get frustrated, angry, etc. Are you saying you don't trust Christ to get you through those difficult times when you get frustrated or worry? At a point, I realized that when I'm frustrated or worrying about situations, I'm showing that I don't trust Christ to get me through them. My worry or frustration is basically saying, "God I don't trust you to be with me through this terrible ordeal, so I'm going to worry about how I'm going to get through this."  In John 14: 27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

When You Feel Undeserving of Christ's Grace, Do You Feel Led to Things That Give You Immediate Satisfaction?

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with then thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Micah 6:6-7

 When you feel undeserving of Christ's grace, do you feel led to things that give you immediate satisfaction? You are right. We are undeserving of Christ's grace and could never earn it. Some faiths have their members give all their wealth and worldly belongings to the church, but Christ doesn't ask for that. Some faiths ask their members so shave their heads and sell flowers, etc. but Christ doesn't ask for that. We don't have to earn our salvation, because Christ already paid the price by giving His life on the cross for us and rising from the dead. We just have to believe in Him as our Savior. He would also like us to live as examples of our faith in Him by being fair and showing compassion to those in need even when it goes against the norm and having a humble Spirit in the Lord.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

Do Your Actions Say that You Don't Appreciate Jesus Giving His Life for Us When You Don't Forgive Others?

Matthew 6: 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

I wish I could say that I'm a better example of this passage. I get caught up being resentful and sometimes angry with those who are rude or insensitive to my needs. When I'm holding on to this resentment and anger, feeling vindicated by the wrongs done to me, I'm not showing the forgiving grace that God has given to me. I would hate for this to keep me from experiencing the forgiveness of my Heavenly Father given to me through the death and resurrection of His Holy Son, Jesus!

Do Your Actions Say that You Don't Appreciate Jesus Giving His Life for Us When You Don't Forgive Others????

When Something Bad Happens, Do We Turn Our Backs on God?

For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

When something bad happens, do we turn our backs on God? This is a tricky one to write about. I'm afraid that there are some who pray over ailing loved ones and may feel lied to by God when their loved one passes. Sometimes it's easier to handle when that person has lived a full life and it's time for them to join their Savior or if the person has been struggling with pain for a long time, so they're no longer suffering.

It's not so easy when it's the death of young ones or the innocent slaughter of those who have done nothing to warrant it. [I'm praying like crazy on this one, because I want Christ's guidance on this.] I do feel that God has timing when He calls each of us. Of course, this timing especially alludes us with young ones. Although this isn't always easy to understand, I try to stay focused on God's loving nature and His infinite wisdom in all things. When Lazarus, Jesus' good friend died, Jesus went to his tomb. Just prior to Jesus' resurrecting Lazarus, it says "Jesus wept" in John 11:35 . Actually, I felt led to this particular verse, because it says so much on this topic that I never really realized before. Jesus didn't weep because He missed His friend who had died four days earlier, since Jesus knew all along that He was supposed to resurrect Lazarus, so others would witness this miracle. Jesus wept, because He saw Mary and the Jews that came with her weeping in John 11:32-34. What this verse tells me that Jesus truly feels our pain and grieves with us when we have losses in our lives!

Some may wonder how a Just and Loving God can allow terrible things and atrocities to happen. Although I struggle with these same questions, at times, I know that evil came into the world with the first sin and is perpetuated by our sinful human nature. I know that God doesn't want us to love Him like marionettes, with someone else pulling all the strings and having no true actions from ourselves. God gives all people choice to choose evil or good  and to choose to love Jesus as their Savior or not. 
Although there are many people who don't know Jesus as their Savior who do nice things for others, having free choice allows some who don't have an active relationship with Christ to do evil in the world.

Unfortunately, Satan uses losses such as these on a personal, national, and international level to pull people away from their focus on Christ as their Savior. Satan allows some to doubt God and blame Him for these losses. "Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, [establish], strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:7-10

Just know on whatever level you are grieving, it says "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalm 34:17-19 Even though Christians may have more than their share of afflictions, Christ will be there with us and get us through them!

Do We Tell Jesus by Our Actions That We Are Less Sinful Than Others?

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 4:22-24

How many times have we seen someone on the street panhandling and have smug thoughts that at least our vices aren't as bad? I hate to admit this, but I know I have. Fortunately for us, Jesus reminds us that we all fall short of His glory, because we're all sinners, but our belief in Christ's death and resurrection for ALL of us sinners, including those panhandling, justifies us by His grace!

Do Our Actions Say That We Love the Praise of Men More Than the Praise of God?

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 13:42-43

I've been in situations where I wanted to say how I was prayerful about a situation and God had this creative resolution pop in my mind. I've found myself being reluctant to tell others about it, without first scanning the crowd and getting a feel to how supportive they might be of a comment like this. In reality, even with this very simple thing that we all do, we might be telling Jesus that we want the praise of men more than His praise. This passage reminds me I should be prayerful on a daily basis for Christ to bless me with a willingness to do His will despite whether people will approve or not.