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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Write CONTEMPORARY FICTION (10/30/14)
    fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NAS)

Elliot was not really interested in what he was doing, but he did not have a choice because he has to provide for his family, pay the bills, and contribute to a fund for the support of a sick mother. He has just started on a contract job with a non-profit organization a while ago as a digital content administrator, but his real interest was to be a writer or to do some editorial related work.

Ever since Elliot was laid off from a corporate job nearly two years ago, he had been struggling to make ends meet working as a freelance writer. During days and months when project assignments fall to a low or none at all, he would only take bread for his meals, and even that was a luxury. As a believer of the Christian faith, he knew what the Bible said in Philippians 4:12 about getting along with humble means and living in prosperity; going hungry and being filled; suffering need and having abundance, in any and every circumstance. Nevertheless, the struggle was real with a cut of a fifth of his remuneration from his last employment. At times, he couldn’t help, but wonder whether he was deluding himself to think when things go well that God has blessed him and his family, and when things are falling apart that God has a lesson to teach.

Many of us are like Elliot. When things are doing well, we praise God and thank Him. But when things get stormy, we wonder whether God really cares or is putting us on trial for a test through a molding process. When the circumstances we are in become too great to handle and overtake us, we begin to doubt God’s love for us or that He exists. No amount of head knowledge about what the Bible said is going to help us if we are in doubt or choose to disbelieve. As children of God, we are never defeated unless we give up on God. Yet, God never gives up on us (Romans 5:8).

Are we struggling in our circumstances right now? Are we in doubt God exists or cares for us? Are we able to recall the times when God took care of us? If we have experienced His love and care for us in the past, surely, we can trust God to take care of us in the present and the future. Knowing God cares for us from the Scriptures is one thing, but experiencing God’s care for us is another. Are we assured of God’s love and care for us?

Jesus our Lord is the same yesterday and today and forever. He does not change. He is not slow about His promise, but is patient toward everyone, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Let us, therefore, fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Like the psalmist, let us remember God and meditate on Him who has been our help, and in the shadow of His wings sing for joy (Hebrews 12:2; 13:8; 2 Peter 3:9; Psalm 55:19; 63:6-7).

Dear Lord, forgive our doubting hearts, especially during the times of our struggles. You know how it is within us when we see the lives of our loved ones falling apart because of us, and You know how it breaks our hearts not to be able to do anything about it. Help us cease striving to keep our calm and fix our eyes on You, the author and perfecter of our faith. In the shadow of Your wings, we will sing for joy, for we are confident that You who has begun a good work in us will perfect it until the day we see You face to face.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
11/08/14
Wonderful messages and scriptures throughout this piece. Thanks.

God bless~
Toni Babcock 
11/09/14
Thanks for sharing your creative story! I enjoyed engaging in your thoughtful piece. Just a couple suggestions: In the first sentence I would change 'he has to provide' to 'he had to provide' in order to keep the tense compatible within the sentence structure. I also stumbled a bit on this sentence: "At times, he couldn’t help, but wonder whether he was deluding himself to think when things go well that God has blessed him and his family, and when things are falling apart that God has a lesson to teach." Perhaps if you were to re-word this it would make an important part of your emphasis more clear to the reader, as when you bring out the same truth later on.
For instance you might say, "At times I was tempted to think when things were going well, that only then was the Lord blessing me, and when things were going bad, I must be being judged."
Larry Whittington
11/11/14
You may have used fictional names but this seemed like a contemporary teaching devotional.

There is a good quantity of true, valid teaching in this article we can apply to our lives.

With what you provided we must also remember that James 1:2-18 if for all of us.

Good thoughts. Keep writing.