Our state of being with ourselves and others often points out flaws in our trust in the Lord. I can be a very calm person, unruffled and steady, yet either blow up internally or externally when a trigger above my tolerance level occurs. When anxiety occurs for me, I need to examine my triggers and ask for the Lord’s help.
As we yield to the Lord’s active, purposeful, personal training, he exposes inner flaws like impatience, unrighteous anger, selfishness, and so on. He knows your pressure tolerance. He is not trying to scare you; his goal is that ungodly fear loses its hold on you and trust increases.
What is uncomfortable training? God’s words piercing our heart, something that stretches us mentally, perhaps something that sounds like it’s not from the Lord, but it actually is. If we are ticked off when a truth is expressed, it’s time to uncover why this happened. Learn why you are being triggered. Did it feel like an attack against your identity? Many reasons can come up. God’s unique and tailor-made training can help you find out. I’m only speaking about triggers when a truth is expressed, not an injustice occurring against you.
God tests us regarding money, a relationship crisis, health, what is our future and so on. Stress and/or grief are going to occur; we are not yet in our new and promised incorruptible bodies. As a personal example (which assumes brain chemistry is normal), I am not accepting anxiety as a way of life; I can recover quicker as I refocus on the Lord, listen to His truth, and use breathing exercises.
He trains us to internalize the words within Romans 7 and 8. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ESV Ro 7:17. Sin occurs, we recover by acknowledging our fault but also train our minds to know this is not who we are. Keep receiving the gift given to us by Jesus and drop like a hot potato any guilt for unintentional sin during your recovery phase.
Remember…Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. His grace is sufficient for every thorn.
