"CONSIDER IT ALL JOY"

How many times do I desire God's blessings but despise His discipline? When faced with adversity, how often do I ask...'What am I doing wrong? Why, is God filling my life with hardship and trials?' Could it be that God is taking me down the road of suffering...the Calvary Road...to develop in me Christ-like character? In Hebrews 12:1-3, I am challenged to run the race that God has set before me...I am to fix my eyes on Jesus...Who endured the cross...and I am to consider Him, so I will not grow weary and lose heart. In other words, DON'T QUIT! Embrace the hardships and trials that God has placed in my life. He has put them there for His good and sovereign purpose. TRUST HIM! Keep running the race, and FINISH WELL!
My husband, Mark shared this quote with me, and it has challenged my heart tremendously as I'm sure it will yours.

“Jesus has many who love his kingdom in heaven , but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire comfort , but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him , but few are willing to suffer for his sake. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of his passion. Many admire the miracles but few follow him to the humiliation of his cross. Many love Jesus as long as no hardship touches them… They who love Jesus for his own sake, and not for the sake of the comfort for themselves , bless him in every trial and anguish of heart, no less than in the greatest joy. And were he never willing to bestow comfort on them, they would still always praise him and give him thanks.”
Thomas a Kempis

So I ask myself again: Do I desire God's blessings and despise His discipline? Don't forget the words in James 1:2 that say: "Consider it ALL JOY!"