From Oppositions to Opportunities

[S] Judges 3:3-4 --

³These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

⁴They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.

[O] God left these five nations to test out Israelites' faith.  Going through the struggles in life tests our faith and thus in turn become opportunities to respond in Godly way (or not).  In previous verses, God let's these enemies to stay because the Israelites failed to wipe them out clean as they conquer the land.  This is so much like our lives here today in 2009 where because we failed to keep ourselves holy for God, we are bombarded with oppositions.  In times like these our prayers should not merely be asking God to remove these oppositions but shower His grace and teaching of His words in our hearts to respond in upright manner bringing out His glory in the struggling situations.

[A] Next time I or my family face a struggle, try not to focus on resolving the situation but prayerfully seek His wisdom to respond in a right manner.

[P] Dear God, thank You for the reminder of why You left these oppositions for Israelites.  Whenever I run into oppositions of this world may I be reminded that they are my opportunities to respond in Your ways that I'm learning from the Bible.  Help me O God.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.