Something that I have learned .......
SOMETHING
THAT I HAVE LEARNED …….
Mario
D’Couto
We have completed another beautiful season of lent and
Easter. And it is truly indeed beautiful as it is a time for growth. Too often
the season of lent is perceived as a drag, as something that we have to put up
with. But such is not the case.
The word “Asceticism” comes from the Greek word,
“Asketikos” which means “exercise” or “work” or if I may add, “training”. A
person who is an ascetic undergoes the hardship of pain and suffering for a
higher good. It kind of reminds me that when an army sends its troops into
battle, it first trains them. They don’t just send their troops to fight just
like that. Imagine if soldiers were simply given tanks and told to try their
best, they would run over innocent people, accidentally shoot hospitals and
cause more harm than good.
In the army, rigorous training is given precisely so that
when they enter into the ‘fire’ their true value is revealed. For example, in
the United States military, the Navy Seals go through what is called a ‘Hell
Week’. During this time, the troops would burn about 5000 to 7000 calories per
day. The candidates will swim for miles, run obstacles courses repeatedly,
carry inflatable boats through frigid water and so on ….. with about an hour of
sleep per day. Broken bones and torn ligaments are not uncommon and physicians
examine the men at least once a day to make sure that no lives are lost. Those
who persevere to the end, earn the title of Navy Seal and are given great
responsibilities to ensure the country’s safety. Thus, when they face the trauma
of battle, it will be nothing new. They will have trained themselves for the
hardships, as the Athenian General Thucydides once said, “We must remember that one man
is much the same as another and that he is best who is trained in the severest
school.”
God tests His servants with obedience. Sometimes, He
deliberately places us in situations where the standards of religions and
society would appear to justify our actions. Sometimes He may even allow
others, especially those close to us, to encourage us to protect ourselves. For
instance, we may face the temptation of sulking or grumbling against God when
we go through a bad experience in the following words, “Why me, Lord?” “What
did I do today to get this?” While on one hand it may be alright to sulk and
grumble, we need to look deeper and appreciate the trials in our lives for what
they are.
In Psalm 92:13, it is written, “Those who are planted in
the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.” Notice it is
written that those who are ‘planted’ will flourish. What happens to a plant if
you transplant it every 3 weeks? It is but obvious that its root system will
diminish and it will not blossom or prosper. If you keep transplanting it, the
plant will die of shock!
When a fruit tree is put in the ground it has to face rainstorms,
hot sun and wind. If a young tree could talk, it might say, “Please get me out of here! Put me in a
place where there is no sweltering heat or windy storms!” and if the
gardener listened to the tree, he would actually harm it. Trees endure the hot
sun and rainstorm by sending their roots down deeper. The adversity they face
is eventually the source of great stability. The harshness of the elements
surrounding them causes them to seek another source of life. They will one day
come to that state where even the greatest of windstorms cannot affect their
ability to produce fruit.
If we don’t run so fast from spiritual resistance, our
root system will have a chance to become stronger and deeper and our fruit would
be plentiful and sweeter in the eyes of God and more palatable to His people!
We would be mature trees that the Lord delights in rather than ones uprooted
for their lack of fruit (Luke 13:6 – 9). We should not resist the very thing
God sends to mature us.
The psalmist David, inspired by the Holy Ghost, made a
powerful connection between offense, the law of God and our spiritual growth.
He wrote in Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man … (whose) delight is in
the law of the Lord; and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm
:1-2) In Psalm 119: 165, he gives us more insight into people who love God’s
laws. In verse 3 of Psalm 1, it describes the destiny of such a person, “He
shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit
in its season, whose leaves also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall
prosper” (Psalm 1:3). In other words, a believer who chooses to delight
in God, in His promise and providence even in the midst of adversity will avoid
being offended. That person will be like a tree whose roots search deep to
where the Spirit provides strength and nourishment and he will draw from the
well of God deep within His Spirit. This will mature him to the point where
adversity will now be the catalyst for his growth. The very thing that was
supposed to cause his downfall will become his source of triumph. Remember the
story of Samson? Despite his enormous strength, it was through his weakness
that God brought about the ultimate destruction of the Philistines, not through
his strength. God sometimes uses our weaknesses to accomplish His purpose in
our lives. Hence it is important to trust God even when the stakes are down
because once we leave the place God has chosen for us, our root system will begin to dwarf. When this happens, it would feel like as though it’s easier to
flee from adversity because we have been careful not to root ourselves deeply.
But when this happens, we only end up making ourselves a spiritual vagabond. Take for instance
the story of Cain and Abel.
Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the works of
his own hands. It was brought forth with much toil. He had to clear the grounds
of rocks, stumps and other debris. He had to plough and cultivate the soil,. He
had to plant, water, fertilize and protect his crops. He put much effort in his
service toward God. But it was his own sacrifice rather than obedience towards
God’s way. It symbolized the worship of God by one’s own strength and ability
rather than by God’s grace. Abel, on the other hand, brought an offering of obedience,
the choice firstborn of his flock and its fat. He did not labour as Cain did to
bring this froth but it was dear to him.
Cain had tried to win God’s acceptance apart from His
counsel. God responded showing He would accept those who came to Him under His
parameter of grace (Abel’s sacrifice). Does this not remind us of anything? We
cannot do anything to earn God’s grace; it is freely given. All we can do is to
humble ourselves before God, ask for His forgiveness and resolve not to repeat
it again.
Cain felt offended with the Lord rather than repent and
do what was right, allowing the situation to strengthen his character. Instead,
he vented his anger towards Abel and murdered him. As a result, God said to
Cain, “So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to
receive the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive
and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4: 11 – 12). The
thing Cain feared the most, to be rejected by God, he brought as a judgment on
himself. The very medium through which he tried to win God’s approval was now
cursed by his own hand. The bloodshed now brought a curse. The ground would no
longer give its strength to him. Fruit would come only through great effort.
Offended Christians, also cut off their own ability to produce fruit.
Just as Cain’s fields were barren, the soil of an
offended heart is barren, poisoned by bitterness. Offended people still may
experience miracles, words of utterance, strong preaching and healing in their
lives. But these are gifts of the Spirit, not fruits. We will be judged
according to fruit, not gifting. A gift is given; fruit is cultivated.
When we are out of the will of God, even the good
relationships will be strained. Offended people react to the situation and do
things that appear right even though they are not inspired by God. We
are not called to react but to act.
If we are obedient to God and have sought Him and He is
not speaking, then do you know what the answer is? He is probably saying, “Stay
right where you are. Don’t change a thing.” Often, when we feel
pressure, we look for a word from God to bring us relief. But God puts us in
such uncomfortable crucibles to mature, refine and strengthen, not to destroy
us!
It can certainly be a frustrating experience when we go
through a difficult experience and we are looking for an answer from God but
all we get is silence. In such situations, it can be tempting to get offended
and give up but God knows what He is doing and He has our best interest at
heart. Trust Him!
A person who acts hastily is an unstable person because
his actions are not properly founded on something solid. This person is easily
moved and swayed by the storms of persecutions and trials. If we are in the place where God wants us, the devil will try to offend us to
get out. He wants to uproot men and women from the place where God plants them.
If he can get us out, he has been successful. If we will not budge, even in
the midst of great conflict, we will spoil his plans. Lent is a time for that
where we train ourselves and it does not end with Easter but it’s just the
beginning. In fact, it is a training for us all to die to ourselves on a daily
basis and put God first in our lives. As we have begun the Easter season, may
it bring us the peace and happiness that God wants us to have, now and always. God
bless you!
