The Pain Of Purposelessness? Trust?

THE PAIN OF PURPOSELESSNESS? Vs TRUST?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT: Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT ALSO? WILL WE KEEP OUR PURPOSE AND GOD’S PLAN WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH?

Life can be cruel. We can have many open wounds. We seem to love PICKING THE SCABS. Can I make it? Will I make?

I have pastored 44 years and I keep hearing a saying that I have found to be invalid. People say when the going gets tough the TOUGH GET GOING! In my years this is not my perspective. My perspective is: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH QUIT!

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

HAVE I LOST MY PURPOSE AND MY PASSION?

I was called to a northern state to speak. The pastor was going to resign in great bitterness. The pastor hated the deacons. He hated going to church. He had great trouble preparing sermons. He stayed up and watched the late, late show on TV. In the morning he would tear out a sermon out of the DORAN’S MINISTER’S MANUEL. We talked on the phone for hours. He even hated his wife and children. The whole world had turned against him. He invited me to come and see how bad it was. I drove 11 hours, visited face to face with him. There came a huge snow storm that night. He told me see even GOD HATES ME. At church that morning there was 300+ people. The crowd was so joyful, they could not wait for service to begin. Everyone hugged and greeted warmly their beloved pastor. Some were disappointed to have a guest preacher. They wanted to hear the pastor. I talked with the deacon board, they were excited how the church grew and the finances were the best ever. I thought I would gladly trade positions with him?

The pastor again told me how everyone hated him. They picked on him and constantly belittled him. I asked for an example? A local artist painted a beautiful picture in the nursery of Noah and the ark. The animals looked so real. Someone pulled him aside and said: Pastor look at the picture. He did and said how beautiful it was. They then told the pastor: There are 12 windows in that ark. You know good and well there was only one window in the ark! The pastor was fuming. Some of the people were on their cell phones. I asked were they looking up verses? Well, maybe? I prayed with him. Told him what a wonderful giving church. He later left the church. He went to another church. Seems after two weeks they hated him? The church grew and grew? The 3rd church hated him? So he left the ministry and chose a new career? Guess what? They hated him there?

EVERYBODY TRUST SOMETHING? WHERE WILL YOU INVEST YOUR TRUST?

You trust the elevator? You trust the bank? You trust Firestone? You trust EVER READY? You trust that light switch, why not trust God?

TEXT: Proverbs 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Do we tend to falter in seasons of trouble? Do we tend to fail under pressure? What do you do when ADVERSITY SEEMS TO HAVE FREE REIGN IN YOUR HEART? Does daily life get difficult at times? What about CHRONIC AFFLICTION? We cannot lose hope. We are not helpless. We cannot afford to give up. ANY ONE CAN MAKE IT WHEN EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL. WHERE IS OUR TRUST? CAN YOU SEE FAITH?

*TRUST: reliability, able, strength, firm belief, assurance, hope, confidence.

*FAITH: complete confidence, strong belief, trust, loyalty, duty.

*JOY: feeling of pleasure, happiness, an emotion of wellbeing.

*CONSEQUENCES: result, effect, choice, outcome.

*CHOICES: making a decision, selection, opinion, opportunity.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

LET US DEFINE TRUST/ FAITH IN THE BIBLE. LET’S REASON TOGETHER AND BE HONEST… LIFE CAN BE HURTFUL, PAINFUL AND SO VERY FRUSTRATING. HAVE WE FOUND MEANING AND PASSION IN OUR DAILY MENIAL LIVING?

The alarm goes off in the morning, do we dread the new day? Why am I living? What brings purpose, peace, joy and hope? Are we living according to someone else’s purpose, our own purpose or in God’s plan? FAITH AND TRUST ARE CHOICES. Nehemiah the preacher commands the people, GET OVER IT… MAKE THE CHOICE TO CELEBRATE.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.