Have you sought to know the mind of God, to find out what He is doing and know the reason for what is happening to a brother in travail before making a judgment as to why his travail? If you did not ask God, and of certainty received an answer you will wrongly judge him giving counsel that is out of line, thereby sinning! If God gives the privilege of knowing, it would be for a purpose, to restore to comfort and pray for such for a way of escape for him. As believers we are admonished by the following scriptures

• 1 Corinthians 10:12—to remain humble and stay cautious lest you become complacent and be consumed by the same transgression
• Galatians 6:2; Colossians 3:13—rather than play judge, find out how to support in times of hardship, showing patience and forgiveness to those in the community of faith

We must not get into the default mode of assuming a brother’s travail is because of his sin as the Lord taught us in John 9:1-7! Our knowledge of any situation is so limited, we will do well to pray for God’s mercies for the troubled without playing judge. This situation is different from the circumstances described in 1 Timothy 5:20-21 and Titus 1:12-23 where we rebuke glaring errors or doctrine and manner of living.

And when we are the subject of trials, this advice or counsel is worth considering: what is your perspective on your situation?

**It’s easier to recognise success looking back than it is looking forward. For some it can be many years before we recognise our success, celebrate it, and feel secure in it. That’s because we lack proper perspective. At its widest point, the Mississippi River requires a two-mile-wide steel span bridge to get across; while at its source, the stream is so small you can jump over it. But it’s still the same river. Most things start small! Here comes the lesson of the Serenity Prayer – ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.’

It was first prayed in a little church in Massachusetts by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr during a Sunday morning service. Only a small group of people were in the congregation that day, but one person liked the prayer and, after the service, he asked Niebuhr for a copy. ‘Here,’ Niebuhr responded, handing over a crumpled piece of paper. ‘I doubt I’ll ever have any more use for it.’ Well, guess what? Next to the Lord’s Prayer, it’s the most used prayer in the world. Isn’t it ironic that Niebuhr’s prayer became so popular? Evidently, his perspective wasn’t too good because he didn’t know what he had. With that story in mind, read this Scripture again and really think about it: ‘Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.’ With God’s help, you can turn your failure into success and go on to greater things.—**Taken from The Word For Today

Selah



Pastor Afolabi Oladele