Whenever I’ve encountered these times of testing in my life, I can NEVER remember looking back in the midst of it and thinking “Man, this is a blast!” However, I can look back and thank God for many of those particular "opportunities".

In fact, I can recall a few years back when a friend asked me how I was doing. I had just received (what I believed to be) the worst news I could have possibly ever gotten in my life; at least I would rank it in the top 5 worst things someone could have told me. I said to my friend, "I feel like I have just been shot in the side of the head and thrown underneath the wheels of a rolling semi truck". He had the nerve to laugh. He told me he was not laughing AT me, but with me. For some reason, that didn't help matters. You see, he had already been through a similar bought, so he didn't react in the same way I did.  But on the other side of that trial, my life had drastically changed for the better. Had I not gone through that, I would still be dealing with issues that would keep me from God's will today.

We must understand one thing: we will NEVER be the ones giving God direction, and telling Him who He can use to test us, what situation He can use, and when. Forget it – that’s not the way God works. We will usually find ourselves right in the midst of a test of our faith at the most inopportune time possible. 

1. 1 Corinthians 10:13
   No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
    

In the midst of these trials, we often find ourselves saying “I just can’t do this anymore” instead of saying “I just wont do this anymore”.

In I Corinthians chapter 13, we're told that "love suffers long" (verse 4) and "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (verse 7). 

We can  find ourselves in a situation pointing the finger at someone, and telling God: “Look what he is doing,  or look at what she is doing!” To our dismay, the Lord tells us, “This whole situation  isn’t about them, it’s about YOU. This whole thing is about working on YOU, not them." That’s a sobering thought, but has happened to me over and over again.

When we face problems with people, it’s important to remember one thing: DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY !!!!!!!! 

Many times the attitudes we get from folks are almost NEVER a reflection of something we have done. If we were able to look back over the past few days, weeks, or maybe even years and view the blows these people have been taking in their lives, it may help us to be more understanding and compassionate. Sometimes we’ll be called to endure things for the sake of someone else. Rom 2:4 tells us that it’s God’s KINDNESS that leads us to repentance. That can work the same way with others. 

I’m not saying that folks are justified in acting like complete JERKS, I’m just saying there’s a reason for it (right or wrong) and it usually doesn’t even involve us. We just happen to be the person in the midst of it all receiving the backlash. God has called us to leadership. Sometimes we need to press past our feelings and be the bigger person. Buck up. Take the high road. Wipe the snots off your nose, pull up your boot straps and move on.

I'll be sharing the last part of this article in the days to follow.