'Pugnippets...'

"...Philippians 4:13..." [H]

"Is that 'I can do all things through him who gives me strength?'" [K]

"I love this brother..." *hugs* [H]

Those were the days? Perhaps not, when I reflect back on such days when my brother in Christ said those above words during my undergraduate studies, I ponder whether those days were any better or even easier than my life nowadays. However, I have to tell you that even as a Christian, life is and is meant to be full of it's own set of challenges. It is very necessary to interpret the bible in context, or as they call it in 'inductive' and other forms of 'aided' bible study, understanding the truth of one passage when comparing it to another. Here in Philippians, even the context of the verse itself is among the mention of the possibility and existence of 'bad' or 'tough circumstances' along with the 'better' ones (particularly in verses 12 and 14 even which are directly before and after). Sometimes people misinterpret John 10:10 to show that our lives are meant to be full of only 'better' circumstances once we accepted Jesus. However, even aside from one sermon I listened to from Joshua Harris and others' personal views, the bible itself contains much evidence to the contrary as my own Pastor recently pointed out some months ago as well. One of my personal favorite counter examples of a congruent verse comes from a research I once had to do on the book of James when I was also discussing the topic of 'suffering':

" 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. " [1 Peter 4:12-13]

I like how Bruxy puts it himself about how sometimes we are in fact called to 'suffer well' and that suffering we go through allows us to build our character which is similar to what I heard others say about other passages as well which Bruxy likewise made reference to such as:

"3 Not only so, but we[b] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. [Romans 5:3-4]

"6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." [2 Corinthians 1:6-11]

At first I was very much not fond of being thrown into the 'rat race' of the professional world again, but now I am still seeking God through this leg of my journey and remembering that God is 'an ever-present help in trouble' (i.e. Psalm 46:1). I trust that in his time he will bring me through this, but in the meantime as another Pastor put it about how sometimes 'time can be our greatest asset', I am trying to best make use of the 'time' God has given me also in the here and now. Continue to pray as we continue to seek God's heart in our walk in this world, whether you are currently 'enjoying' yourself or not.

" 13 Consider what God has done:

Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, a man cannot discover
anything about his future.

15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

a righteous man perishing in his righteousness,
and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. "

[Ecclesiastes 7:13-15]