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Your Character Under Pressure
By Dianne Sain
During trials our true character is determined. God does not cause these trials, but He allows them, and through them we are refined.
Godly character comes from God. It is a change from human natural instincts. We are changed creatures once we have repented, been baptized and received the Holy Spirit. We communicate with God through prayer and meditation. It is with this closeness that we start exhibiting more of His characteristics. We build Godly character.
A Man of Integrity
Let’s consider Job. He was a man of integrity. His character was pure. He himself tells about his relationship to God before this trial. Job 29:4-6, “Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.” Job knew he was doing what God wanted and knew God was blessing him for it. He was very productive and was making a good living. His family was well and happy.
Job’s voice counted in the community. He was respected. People stopped and listened because they knew Job had something worthwhile to hear. It was not filth, hearsay, or slander. They knew he was a Godly man by the way he lived and the things he said. Read Job 29:7-17. Job sounds like he was a lot like Christ. Read 29:21-25.
Wouldn’t we all like to be like this? Rescuing the poor, helping the fatherless, holding the dying person’s hand and praying for him, helping the widow with the chores her husband used to do, doing everything I do with a clean heart and not taking advantage of others, making just decisions between people no matter the color of their skin or whether they have a lot of money or none, rolling a wheel chair for the legless man or woman, giving clothes to the poor, finding money to help a needy family. I sure would like to be like this!
A Test of Character
Satan brought Job’s case to God. He wanted to prove the only reason Job was righteous and faithful was because of the blessings God had bestowed on him. Notice Satan had to get God’s permission before he could do anything regarding Job. God allowed it, but God did not do the testing.
Job had two choices; 1) he could curse God and give up, or 2) keep trusting God and draw strength from Him to continue. Job’s character stood up! Job lost all of his family, health and home, but he did not curse God. He stuck up for God, even though three friends badgered him every day, accusing him of sinning. How many of us would have sat there and listened to our friends accuse us of something we were not guilty of? I am afraid I would have sent them on their way. Job, on the other hand, was trying to figure out why God had deserted him and would not rescue him from this great trial. Consequently Job would listen to anyone who thought they knew the answer. Instead of answers Job had many accusations thrown at him, and he listened to them all without going ballistic!
God, at last, answered Job. God let Job know He was God and he could do whatever he wanted in order to accomplish His plan. He was purifying Job. There was still something lacking in Job’s life. He was perfecting him. God told Job He created him, and knew all about him. Job was tried to the maximum, and he came through with flying colors!
Although God loves us, believing and obeying Him does not shelter us from calamities, setbacks, tragedies, or sorrows. These things strike Christians and non-Christians alike. But in our tests and trials, God expects us to express our faith to the world. How do you respond to your troubles? Do you ask God, why me, or do you say, “Use me”?
How Is Your Character?
How would people describe you? Are you a hot head? A know it all? Stubborn? Troublemaker? Do you do good work for your employer? Do you waste time? Do you tell little white lies to benefit yourself? Do you bring home items from work for your personal use (stealing)? Do you talk about people behind their backs? Can people depend upon you when you promise them something? Are you a miser…people know you won’t help the needy, so they don’t even ask? Are you lazy? Do you respect your mate, or do you point out your mate’s faults in front of others? Do you arrive when you are supposed to or are you ALWAYS 5 minutes late wherever you go? Are you a clean person? Well groomed or sloppy? Do you smile a lot or frown a lot? Do you spend more time hollering at your children than you do hugging and teaching them? Are you a thrifty shopper, or do you splurge often, putting your household finances in disarray? What sorts of words come out of your mouth? Do they build up or tear down? Where do you go when you get off work? What sort of things do you watch on TV or what sites do you enter on the Internet?
Your character is who you are when no one is looking! It is what God sees, not what you want Him to see. Do you have two lives; one that God sees and one that the world sees?
Your character DOES matter to God. Let’s read I Corinthians 6:9-10, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves not the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul, in II Corinthians 12:20-21, told the church, “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.” For further study, read Galatians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:8.
In I John 2:8 we are told the darkness is past, the true light shines, it dispels darkness. He is cleansing our hearts and our spirits, and showing us what truth is all about. He is relating the character of God himself. We are a work in progress, like clay pots. We get messed up, but God picks up the pieces and works on us. He doesn’t throw the clay away. What a wonderful thought!
Be Combat Ready
Romans 13:12 tells us to put on the whole armor of God so we stand ready to go the everyday battles and struggles as God fearing men and women. Everyone sins, even if we say we don’t. Don’t practice sin, repent and get back on track. If you think God won’t forgive you read the story of David. This always helps me when I think I have blown it all.
Satan goes around seeking whoever he can devour, just like a lion hunting water buffalo. Lions are kings of the beasts; they protect the pride. The pride goes out on a hunt. They circle the water buffalo group and attack the herd. The herd pushes them back. They attack again and get pushed back again. This happens over and over, until a lion makes a mistake. In other words the lions put the pressure on the herd, and eventually they mess up. That’s when one gets destroyed. Satan is the pressure cooker in this world. He is alluring us into the ways of the world. Once he has our attention, he relies on our human nature to help him capture us. i
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