Chase the Lion - week 4

Reframe - to recondition a mental attitude or outlook

Problem - a source of perplexity, distress or vexation

Who you become is not determined by your circumstances, but by your outlook.

We may not be able to change our circumstances but we can change how we view them.

“If you want to see yourself the way God sees you, you need to look through the frame of Scripture. If you don’t, you’ll have identity issues.”

Philippians 1:29
”For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him..”

God grants us the favor of suffering for Him…This is a hard passage for me to swallow. However, it helps me reframe my circumstances.

Here are a few of the verses that came up last night:

James 1:26
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

James 1:19-20
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James 3:14-16
14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

We all agreed that we liked the statement: “I may not want to write it, you may not want to read it, but God uses adversity to expand our capacity to serve Him.”

I challenge you to reframe any problems you have with scripture. Remember the adage NO PAIN, NO GAIN. Try this spiritualized version: NO ADVERSITY, NO OPPORTUNITY; KNOW ADVERSITY, KNOW OPPORUTNITY.