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The Christian Working Woman
Hosted by Mary Lowman · EN
The Christian Working Woman with Mary Lowman exists to encourage, equip and empower workplace Christians in the marketplace.
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Integrity in the Marketplace Part 2
Yesterday00:14:28Tap to summarizeFor many years I traveled around this country teaching business seminars mostly in customer service and communication areas. What I taught were principles based on the Bible. My job was to teach something that would work, and I know from experience that Bible-based principles work. And they work in American business just as effectively as anywhere else. Usually, when we see people who operate without integrity, they have a very short-term perspective, and their lack of integrity will always come back to haunt them long-term. Living our lives by biblical principles allows us to sleep good at night, because we know they will prove right in the end. Proverbs 21:21 tells us, Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. In part one, we defined pursuing righteousness as always trying to do the right thing. But what is the right thing? We must have a standard, right? Today, everyone wants to use their own definition of the right thing. It’s called situational ethics—the ethics depend on the situation. But we’ve discovered this doesn’t work so well. And American businesspeople are starting to realize we need some unshakable and immovable values and codes of conduct to be successful! There’s no doubt God’s Word gives us that standard, and as Christians in the marketplace, we can go to it with any dilemma we face and find guidance to know what the right thing is. Then, of course, it becomes our responsibility to obey and put it in practice, regardless of the results. To bring this right down where we all live, we’ll look at two more real-life case studies and see how God’s Word applies in these ethical choices. Case #2 You work for a manager who has a large ego and feels threatened by anyone who makes suggestions for improvement. You have an idea for a change in procedures which would improve the department’s efficiency, save money, and serve customers better. It would also make life on the job more pleasant for everyone in the department. Your colleagues agree, but you must have your manager’s approval to make it work. If you want to get his approval, you know you must make him think it’s his idea. If you simply present it as your idea, with your rationale, it is not likely to be approved. So, you’re thinking of ways to do this, but you’re concerned your plan may border on deceit and dishonesty. However, you’re also concerned with getting the job done. Is there a problem here with honesty? Is this manipulative? If so, is this wrong? Here’s a passage that gives us some guidance in this decision: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). You know, as we practice integrity in a world which often doesn’t, we are exposed, and we may appear to be naive and simple—like sheep, operating in a world of wolves. You may have felt this way on your job. Remember, Jesus has sent us out exactly that way; if we practice integrity in every area of our lives, it may well appear that we are at the mercy of all those wolves, and they’re going to devour us. But we don’t have to worry, because we’ve got Jesus on our team, fighting that battle for us. But as Jesus went on to say, we are not to be naive in our dealings, but rather, we are to be shrewd. Let me remind you shrewd does not mean deceptive or manipulative. Shrewd means “astute or sharp in practical matters.” So, based on that principle, I would think you could find a way to present your ideas in a non-threatening way, dropping seeds here and there and helping this difficult boss come to your conclusion. Since the motivation is to do what’s good for the customer, company, and employees, shrewdness would lead you to find a diplomatic, yet honest, way to have your idea accepted. There were times when Jesus was very shrewd in his dealings with people. For example, do you remember when the chief priests and elders tried to trap Jesus, asking him what authority he had to teach and do the things he was doing? Jesus answered them very shrewdly. Paraphrasing him from Matthew 21:23-37, he said, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” Now, Jesus knew he had them trapped with this question. Any answer they gave would be bad for them, so they had to answer: “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things (Matthew 21:27). That, I believe, is an example of being wise as serpents and harmless as doves. And in this case study example, you should find a way to get your idea accepted without seeming like you’re just pushing it. And that reminds me of another passage: Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Allowing someone else to take the credit for what you’ve done is certainly a way to humble yourself. That’s not easy to do, is it? You truly must be motivated for the good of others to have this attitude. And it will be humbling, which means God will honor you for it, in his time. Case #3 A bright young lawyer works hard to get a position in a prestigious law firm. She does her work exceptionally well, she works many hours of overtime, she aspires to be a partner in this firm someday. The firm has billing hour goals for each lawyer, and the goals are often unrealistic. Our young lawyer, being a Christian and a woman of integrity, turns in exactly the hours she has worked, which she knows to be more than most of the other lawyers in the firm actually work. Yet it appears to be less, because everyone else pads their hours on their reports. She has an annual review coming up, and she knows the subject will surface. Her billing hours are not what the company would like. What does she say to the managing partner who questions her about her hours? What will she do if she is encouraged to pad her hours? What effect could it have on her career? The ethical course of action is very clear in this case. It is without question wrong to pad your hours, and she has done the right thing in turning in only what she has truly worked, no matter how it makes her look. The question now is, how does she address this situation during her review without pointing a finger of condemnation at others? Really her only answer is to focus on herself and keep the focus off others. “Those are the actual hours I’ve worked. I’ve kept accurate records, and it’s an honest accounting of my time.” That’s her answer. If her management should explicitly ask or imply that she needs to turn in more hours, she will then have to address it more specifically. Perhaps she could ask, “Do you mean, then, I should be working more hours, more overtime, in order to bill more?” If she has already established that she’s working considerable extra hours, this will flush the issue out in the open. It’s unlikely, especially in a law firm, that she will be ...
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace – 5
2d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeCan you and I, as marketplace Christians, maintain high levels of personal integrity without adverse effects on our career? That’s the question I’d like to address. The answer to that question is we should never even ask the question. That may sound strange but let me explain. As Christians in the marketplace—or anywhere else for that matter—we should be so committed to doing what is right—pursuing righteousness—that the consequences of that course of action become inconsequential. It simply doesn’t matter whether it has adverse effects on our careers or whether it advances them. In either case, we’re going to do the right thing. If that is your heart’s desire, and if you go to God’s Word for guidance whenever you face these sometimes less than clear situations, he’ll give you guidance. And when you pursue righteousness and love, with pure motives and a genuine concern for others, you can be certain God will stick by his end of the bargain. As Proverbs 21:21 tells us, when we pursue righteousness and love, we find life, prosperity and honor. I don’t think that necessarily means prosperity by the world’s measure, but prosperity in God’s eyes. A healthy and prosperous soul is far more important than a prosperous lifestyle. And the honor may not come immediately; but if God has promised it, it will come. Let me say to apply Bible standards in our lives on a regular basis takes more strength and power than any of us have naturally and normally. But the good news is Jesus Christ died and rose again, to provide for each of us the power we need to live supernatural lives—lives of integrity that care about other people and are pleasing to God. Pray that verse in Proverbs 21:21 into your life: Lord, help me to pursue righteousness and love in everything I do. Help me to simply do the right thing, no matter what the situation is, no matter how alone I may be, no matter what it may cost me. Give me your power to make right ethical choices. I can only imagine what would happen if every Christian in the marketplace started to pray that way every morning before going to work. I’m telling you, it would make a difference in our witness for Jesus. We might find ourselves out on a limb occasionally, but we’re never going to be out on that limb by ourselves. Jesus will be with us, and he has promised we will prosper and be honored if we pursue righteousness and love.
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace – 4
3d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeThose of us who daily go to a job know very well what it means to face a world which often does not operate by Christian principles. I’ve been examining integrity in the marketplace. I’d like to present another ethical case study and see how a Christian should respond. Case #3 A bright lawyer works in a prestigious law firm. She does her work exceptionally well, puts in many hours of overtime, and aspires to a partnership someday. Since she is a Christian and a woman of integrity, she turns in exactly the hours she has worked, which she knows to be more than most, if not all, of the other lawyers in the firm actually work. Yet it appears to be less, because everyone else pads the hours on his or her reports. She has an annual review coming up and she knows the subject will surface. Though her work is above reproach, she hasn’t billed the clients for as many hours as others have. What does she say to the managing partner who questions her about her hours? What will she do if she is “encouraged” to pad her hours? What effect could that have on her career? Remember our guiding verse, Proverbs 21:21. Pursuing righteousness—doing the right thing—makes her course of action very clear. It is without question wrong to pad the hours, and she has done the right thing in turning in only what she has truly worked, no matter how it makes her look. The question now is, how does she address this situation during her review? I believe she should keep the focus on herself and off others. There’s no need to point fingers at others but simply to reiterate that she has kept accurate records and turned in actual hours. If her management should explicitly ask or imply she needs to turn in more hours, she will then have to take a more direct approach, stating her principles if necessary. It’s unlikely, especially in a law firm, that she will be explicitly asked or told to pad her hours. However, if she doesn’t comply, she’s likely to find it is costly to her. She may discover promotions pass her up, performance evaluations are not fair, and that partnership she wants isn’t offered. Integrity can be costly. The good guys don’t always come in first in the world system.
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace – 3
4d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeWe’re continuing our look into integrity in the marketplace. I’m going to look at another example of an ethical decision on the job and see how God’s Word gives us direction. Case #2 You work for a manager who has a large ego and feels threatened by anyone who makes suggestions for improvement. You have an idea that would improve efficiency, save budget money, and serve the customers better. Your colleagues agree, but you must have your manager’s approval to make it work. You’re thinking of ways to make him think it’s his idea, but you’re concerned your plan may border on deceit and dishonesty. However, you’re also concerned with getting the job done. Is there a problem here with honesty? Is this manipulative? If so, is this wrong? Here’s a passage that will give us some guidance in this decision: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). As we practice integrity in a world that often doesn’t, we may appear naive and simple—like sheep operating in a world of wolves. You may have felt that way on your job at times. Remember, Jesus has sent us out exactly that way. If we practice integrity in every area of our lives, it may appear we are at the mercy of all those wolves. But as Jesus went on to say, we are not to be stupid in our dealings, but rather we are to be shrewd. Let me remind you shrewd does not mean deceptive or manipulative. Shrewd means “astute or sharp in practical matters.” Based on that principle, I would think you could find a way in this particular situation to present your ideas in a non-threatening way, dropping seeds here and there, and helping this difficult boss to come to your conclusion. Since the motivation is to do what’s good for the customer, the company and the employees, shrewdness would lead you to find a diplomatic, yet honest way to have your idea accepted. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Allowing someone else to take the credit for what you’ve done is certainly a way to humble yourself. That’s not easy to do, is it? We truly have to be motivated for the good of others to have that kind of attitude.
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace – 2
5d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeWhen Christians demonstrate lives of integrity on the job, they become that Living Word witness to those around them that is stronger than any words they can ever say. My topic is Integrity in the marketplace. It’s become a bottom-line issue for companies and organizations that recognize the benefits of integrity. But for a Christian, a life of integrity is a top-line issue: We are committed to doing the right thing because that’s what Jesus would do. Now, what I’d like to do is take two case studies where integrity is at stake and ask what the biblical way is to deal with them. Case #1 Your departmental manager is not liked by any of the employees. She is very unfair, discourteous, and incompetent. Everyone in the department talks about her in derogatory ways all the time. You’ve been a part of that malicious talk at times. But you’ve decided you don’t want to be a part of that character assassination any longer. How will you keep from getting caught up in this office gossip? Here’s a biblical principle to consider: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). I will grant you in the world’s view, gossip and backbiting would most likely not be considered unethical behavior, but God’s Word makes it clear that it is. No unwholesome talk out of our mouths—that’s the standard. This is not a moving standard; it remains steadfast regardless of the circumstances. Now, how would you handle situations where others are talking about the boss behind his or her back? Here are some suggestions: Get up and leave if you can. Do it quietly, try not to call attention to it. But walk away if you can. Someone may notice, but that’s okay. If walking away is not an option, try changing the subject. Just find another topic and start in, rather assertively, talking about something else that is harmless and not derogatory. But do it as gently as you can. And then, I would add, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t think it’s right to talk behind her back.” Or perhaps, “Have you ever talked with her about this?” There may be occasions when you’ll have to state your objections to the gossip. Again, do it as gently and non-judgmentally as you can, but you shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for what you think is right.
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace
6d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeIntegrity in the workplace has become a hot topic. Corporate America recognizes the cost when there is lack of integrity on the job, and they’re trying to figure out how they can put values and integrity back in our good ‘ole American system. It will only happen as individuals put integrity back into their personal lives and make it a high priority. And that will only happen when we are motivated from within, not from without. All the training courses in the world cannot instill integrity into a person’s heart. That must come from a belief system that is committed to doing what’s right, regardless of the cost. If we do what’s right only as a manipulative tool to get where we want to go, only because that’s the “in” thing to do nowadays, we’ll find ourselves waffling all over the place. Doing the right thing takes an internal value system and standard by which we operate. It takes absolutes. If you don’t have an authority and a standard by which actions and attitudes are judged, you will never have integrity—personal or corporate. Relative truth doesn’t work; it’s another name for compromise. If I asked you what was the best book on business ethics, good customer service, and dealing with people on the job, what book would you recommend? Not too many people would ever think of the Bible as relevant to those issues, but let me tell you, it’s the textbook we need. God’s principles, when practiced, will benefit anyone. That’s because he’s the Creator, he knows how things should work and he knows how people are motivated better than anyone else. He wrote the owner’s manual. Whether a person or an organization recognizes God or his principles, when those principles are followed, they bring success. Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor (Proverbs 21:21). Pursuing righteousness and love—there’s the secret to integrity. Righteousness simply means doing the right thing. If you and I are committed to do the right thing in every situation in our lives and to act out of love for other people, we will be people of integrity. Christians in the workplace should always have the highest standards of integrity—doing the right thing with love.
Transcribe →Integrity in the Marketplace Part 1
1w ago00:14:28Tap to summarizeMany business schools are hurriedly designing and incorporating courses on ethics. Seminars and management training are focusing on integrity. There seems to be a sudden awareness of our need for integrity in the marketplace. Employee theft is a problem of great magnitude, as well as lack of employee loyalty. But, after all, how can you motivate loyalty if you engage in shady business dealings or treat employees unfairly? And now corporate America says, “How can we put values and integrity back in our good ‘ole American system?” Well, it will only happen as individuals put integrity back into their personal lives and make it a high priority. And it will only happen when we are motivated from within, not from without. All the training courses in the world cannot instill integrity into a person’s heart. That must come from a belief system which is committed to doing what’s right, regardless of the cost. If we do what’s right only as a manipulative tool to get where we want to go, only because that’s the “in” thing to do, we’ll find ourselves waffling all over the place. Doing the right thing takes an internal belief and commitment and a standard by which we operate. It takes absolutes. And it takes an internal power which many seem to lack. If I asked you what is the best book on business principles, customer service skills, how to succeed, how to get along with people, how to handle a difficult boss, and how to deal with decisions of integrity on your job, what book would you recommend? Not too many people would ever think of the Bible as relevant to those issues, but let me tell you, it’s the textbook and the authority which we need. If you don’t have an authority and a standard by which actions and attitudes are judged, you will never have integrity—personal or corporate. Relative truth doesn’t work; it’s another name for compromise. A moving standard which changes based on how you feel versus how I feel or is contingent on circumstances is no standard at all. The Bible is dogmatic. It gives us very strong guidelines in many areas, with no room for argument. That causes many people a lot of difficulty, because by nature we just don’t like to be told where the limits are. But the interesting thing is, Bible principles work, and they work in the marketplace equally as well as anywhere else. The best customer service philosophy in the world is based on what we call the golden rule which Jesus set forth 2000 years ago: Treat other people the way you want to be treated. Now, when we base our business philosophy upon this principle, we find we design a dynamite system and way to deal with people, whether customers, employees, or vendors. God’s principles, when practiced, will benefit anyone. That’s because he’s the Creator, he knows how things should work, he knows how people are motivated, he knows what makes us tick. His principles are based on long-term profit. God doesn’t go for the instant answers most of us look for. He has marvelous strategic insight, and when he sets forth a principle, it is always to our benefit to follow them. So, regardless of whether a person or an organization recognizes God or his principles, when those principles are followed, they bring success. Proverbs 21:21 tells us, Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Pursuing righteousness and love—there’s the secret to integrity. Don’t let the word righteousness throw you. It doesn’t mean perfection or weirdness. It simply means doing the right thing. If you and I are committed to doing the right thing in every situation and to act out of love for other people, we will be people of integrity. And integrity will bring us prosperity and honor. But more importantly, as Christians in the workplace, it will open a door of witness to those around us that is stronger than any words we can ever say. A life of righteousness and love is a light which cannot be hidden; it is what I call a “question-generating” life, one which causes someone along the way to stop you and say, “Hey, what’s different about you?” Now in part one and part two, I’d like to look at three case studies where integrity is at stake and ask ourselves what is the biblical way to deal with them. These are only three of many situations you may face, but hopefully they’ll give you some food for thought as to how you can apply biblical principles to your ethical dilemmas. Case #1 Your departmental manager is not liked by any of the employees. She is very unfair, discourteous to everyone, and in addition, doesn’t perform her own duties well. Everyone in the department talks about her in derogatory ways. You’ve been a part of this malicious talk at times. But you’ve decided you don’t want to be a part of this character assassination any longer. How will you keep from getting caught up in this office gossip? First, let me ask a very basic question: Do you think this is a question of ethics and integrity? Is it unethical to gossip about someone, especially if what you’re saying is true? You’re not making it up or enlarging on it. Would this kind of behavior be viewed as a lack of integrity? Well, let’s go back to our verse in Proverbs 21:21: Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Remember righteousness is simply doing the right thing. Here’s another biblical principle to consider: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). I will grant you in the world’s view, gossip and backbiting would not likely be considered unethical behavior, but God’s Word says it is. No unwholesome talk out of our mouths. That’s the standard. Only what will build others up and benefit those who listen. This is not a moving standard; it remains steadfast regardless of the circumstances. In this case study, we have a difficult manager, one who makes your job difficult, and it’s particularly hard to keep your mouth shut in these situations. But the standard doesn’t change for the difficult manager. No unwholesome talk—that’s it. Now, if you decide to live your life by this standard of integrity, how will you handle situations in which others talk about the boss behind her back? Here are some suggestions: Get up and leave if you can. Just walk away from the conversation. Do it quietly, try not to call attention to it. You don’t want to announce, “I’m not going to listen to this kind of gossip; I’m leaving.” Not necessary; not a good idea. But walk away if you can. Someone may notice, and that’s okay. If walking away is not an option, try changing the subject. Just find another topic and start in. Rather assertively, talk about something else which is harmless and not derogatory. That will take some fortitude and guts on your part, but you can do it nicely. Remember, it’s okay if someone notices you’re purposely changing the subject. But do it as gently as you can. And then, I would add, don’t be afraid to say, “Instead of talking about her, why don’t we talk to her?” There may be occasions when you’ll have to state your objections to the gossip. Again, do it as nicely and gently and non-judgmentally as you can, but you shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for what you think is right. You know, integrity can be costly. If we determine to live our lives by Proverbs 21:21 and pursue righteousness and love in all we do, it won’t always...
Transcribe →God Won’t Let Go of You – 5
1w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeI’d like to briefly recap the story I told about the young boy who was attacked by an alligator. He had jumped into the swimming hole and as he swam out, an alligator swam toward him. His father was nearby, and he ran to the lake to rescue his son. As he reached from the dock for his son’s hands, the alligator grabbed his legs, and a tug of war ensued. But this father was not letting go, and he dug his fingers into the boy’s arms to hold him. A farmer driving by heard the screams, ran to the lake and shot the alligator. But of course, the boy’s legs were greatly scarred, and he spent days in the hospital recovering. When asked to show the scars on his legs, the boy did so, but then with obvious pride, he said, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. They are there because my Dad wouldn’t let go.” In Romans 8 Paul tells us those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, and because of that, we can cry, “Abba, Father.” We are permitted to call the God of creation by an intimate term, a family name, if you please—Abba, Father, Papa. He is our heavenly father, and he will never let us go. I think of a friend of mine who never knew her father; he abandoned her before she was born. Others have fathers who simply neglected them, and still others have fathers who abused them. If that is true for you, your concept of a father is likely warped. But let me assure you God is your heavenly Father, and he is perfect. Don’t transfer your negative experience with your earthly father to God, because you will then miss the joy of fellowshipping with him as Father, Abba, Papa. I had a wonderful earthly father who never neglected me or mistreated me, but even he could not promise to never leave me. My heavenly Father can say, I will never leave you or forsake you, and I have full assurance he will always be with me. He will not let me go, and the same is true for you, if you are his child. Let me close with these wonderful verses from Romans 8: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
Transcribe →God Won’t Let Go of You – 4
1w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeGod will never let go of you! If you have accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life, he is committed to you and will keep you for all eternity. Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:27-30). Maybe you’re thinking, “Yeah, but Mary, you don’t know what I’ve done. I’ve committed a sin, knowingly, and I’ve wandered far from God.” That may be sadly true, but it doesn’t change the promise Jesus gave us. If—and that is an important “if”—you have truly been born from above through faith in Jesus Christ, you can’t even jump out of his hand. Your own disobedience and sin are not strong enough to break his grip on you. I would remind you of David, a man after God’s own heart. You can’t go much further wrong as a believer than David did, committing adultery and murder. He tried to cover it up, to bury it and forget it, but until he confessed it and admitted his guilt, he was the most miserable person alive. That’s always true for a believer. If you are living in willful disobedience to God’s principles, as a true child of God, you will be more and more miserable until you come to full repentance. Read Psalm 51 to remind yourself of David’s agony because of his sin. None of us escape the consequences of our sin, whether believers or not, but nothing can separate a true believer from God’s love. Not even our sin. I want to encourage you today to come back to God with a repentant heart, with a commitment to forsake your sin and walk in his way, and he will restore to you the joy of your salvation, just as he did to David. My own story corroborates this truth, for I foolishly chose to walk away from my commitment to God’s principles for a period of ten years—ten long years. It wasn’t ignorance, but it was a willful determination to run my own life and get what I wanted. I failed miserably in that endeavor, and at the end of my emotional and mental rope, I came back to God, truly repentant, and he has proven himself to be a God of great mercy and grace to me. That was many years ago, and I can testify God simply never let go of me. He let me run my own show, until I ran it into the ground, and then he restored me.
Transcribe →God Won’t Let Go of You – 3
2w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeEarlier I told the story of a boy who was rescued from the jaws of an alligator by a father who would not let go. And afterward the boy showed with pride the scars on his arm where his father dug in and held on against a much stronger animal who was trying to devour his son. Just as this young boy foolishly and ignorantly dove into the dangerous water where this alligator lived, we as children of God sometimes foolishly dive into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril, and we forget the enemy is waiting to attack. The Bible says the enemy of our soul, Satan, prowls about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, kind of like an alligator. Peter goes on to say, Resist him, standing firm in the faith…And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:9–10). If you feel like you’re in the alligator swamp right now and they’re ready to take you under, remember God has said if you are called to his eternal glory in Christ, he will himself restore you and make you strong again—after you have suffered a little while. God is not going to let go of you. But why does he allow us to suffer a little while? Unlike the story of the father who fought to save his son, God is not helpless against Satan. He could deliver us sooner rather than later, and we puzzle as to why he doesn’t, don’t we? There are various reasons God allows his children to endure suffering, and one reason is to bring us to maturity so our lives will bring glory to God. In writing about suffering, James said, Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:10-11). James reminds us in retrospect, as we look back to the suffering saints of old, we consider them blessed who persevered through suffering, and he uses Job as an example. In other words, James says, “Get the big picture here. Look beyond your momentary pain and consider what God is doing through your suffering.” Whether your suffering is a result of your wrongdoing or someone else’s or it’s just the hardships of life, it didn’t catch God by surprise, and he intends to use it for your good. He is not going to let go of you, so hang on and trust him. He is a trustworthy God.
Transcribe →