Bible Studies
Negotiating Life Experiences
Series: Additional StudiesIntroduction:
1. I used to think, “There must be something wrong with me. It seems like I attract problems, not only my own, but other people’s too.” 2. Then I realized that everyone else felt about the same way. 3. Problems and difficulties are the regular fare in this life. And if you have escaped them this far in your life, just wait. Your time is coming. 4. In my mere 58 years struggling with problems I have observed that some people are able to negotiate difficulties better than others. That some of us are able to negotiate some difficulties rather well, but really get stuck when it comes to certain issues. I am still trying to figure out what the differences are. Why am I able to handle some really severe issues and unable to get through others? What skills, understanding, wisdom makes the difference? 5. I don’t have all the answers, but one thing I have observed is that Scripture addresses such difficulties. As a matter of fact Scripture addresses suffering a lot and the principles found in the Scriptures are very practical in helping us learn to negotiate life. 6. But not everyone is willing to give him or herself to trusting the principles. And sometimes we do not see their practical application. And sometimes we wait until we are in a crisis before we realize the need for preparation. 7. In this study I would like to give consideration to just a few things Scripture has to say about negotiating the difficult situations common to this life.Discussion:
I. James 1:2-3.A. How can we consider it joy when we encounter various trials?
1. This is certainly an unusual way of looking at difficulties.
2. Generally we want to avoid all trial. We would consider it a joy if we never experienced any difficulties.
3. But seeing our trials from this seemingly upside down view may be a clue to successful negotiating.
4. Trials reveal our faith. It is a joy to experience trials and have our faith revealed as the power that gets us through. This is really the foundation of this whole study.
B. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
1. But when we encounter trials instead of going toward God some of us go in the other direction.
2. We may pray, but we pray on the basis of our being absorbed in the problem. “Give me deliverance.” “Afflict my enemies.”
3. These are not requests for wisdom. They may be expressions of our anger, frustration, vengeance, etc. (cf. James 1:19-27).
4. Such is not a request for the wisdom of God.
5. There is a need for perseverance under trial and resisting the special temptations that face us as a result of trials (James 1:12-18).
C. In James 3:13-18 the wisdom of God and the demonic are contrasted.
II. 1 Pet. 4:1, 12-19.A. We are to arm ourselves for suffering.
1. We conclude we should not have to suffer. What does the Lord mean calling on us to arm ourselves for suffering!? We are innocent and the innocent should not have to suffer.
2. Verse 12 says, “Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, as though some strange thing were happening to you.”
B. “Peter, You just don’t understand what I am going through!”
1. “No one understands what I am going through . . .” Perhaps not! Do they have to? And what if they do and I simply don’t understand what they have been through.
2. When I say, “No one understands what I am going through,” I assume that I know more about them than they know about me. Fact is, they may have been through exactly the same thing I have. Am I using the idea that no one understands to justify not going forward through grief, anger, unforgiveness, resentment, hatred, etc.?
3. “I am justified in holding on to these things because you don’t understand what I am going through.” Perhaps no one understands what you are going through, but you still must negotiate your circumstances. And do so graciously (1 Pet. 2:21-24; 3:8-12).
C. We must entrust ourselves to Him who judges righteously (1 Pet. 2:23b; 4:19).
1. “But I don’t feel like doing this.”
2. Exactly! And we must submit our will to Him who judges righteously (Rom. 12:14-21).
III. Phil. 3:7-14.A. One tool for negotiating the difficulties of life is looking to the goal.
1. “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward . . . I press on toward the goal.”
2. Recognizing where we are headed can help us get through the difficulties of this life (Rom. 8:18; 1 Pet. 4:7; Rev. 2:9-11).
B. The devil uses trials, stresses, difficulties to distract us from the goal.
1. Some let one life event define (control) them.
2. You are not one event.
3. You are not what has happened to you. Not one event, nor a summation of a series of events.
4. Some get stuck on one occurrence in their life. It is as though their life stops because of something that has happened to them. You are on a journey.
C. Our goal is the resurrection.
1. While “stuff” may distract us.
2. We cannot let it cause us to wander off the path.
3. We cannot allow it to knock us off the path.
4. We are anchored in the resurrection and we must winch ourselves in (2 Cor. 4:8-18).
IV. Heb. 11:32-12:6.A. The emphasis in this text is on endurance (11:32-39).
B. Hope anchors us. And that is the foundation of faith and that which leads to being able to endure (Heb. 11:1).
1. Our tendency is to is to grow weary and loose hope (Heb. 12:3).
2. We loose heart when we loose hope. And so, I am considering these phrases as equivalent.
3. We may be right that no one else understands what you are going through, but there are those who have experienced some pretty tough stuff and they are used to admonish us not to loose heart (Heb. 11-12:4).
4. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin . . . others have.
a. Yes, it is hard!
b. But you can make it.
c. It calls on all your courage.
d. And more—2 Cor. 12:9-10; Heb. 10:24-25; Heb. 13:5-7.
Conclusion:
1. Are you prepared to walk through the valley of the shadow of death? (Psa. 23:4). 2. I know you don’t want to. 3. You can do so, depending upon the presence of the Lord, for His rod and His staff provide the comfort necessary.
