Pastor's Ponderings

A timely reflection from Pastor Dan Smith, on a variety of subjects related to life and current events.

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Pastor Dan’s Pondering

Someone has said, “Nothing grows on mountaintops.  The fertile ground is in the valley.”  This applies to our Christian lives.  When everything is going well or really well, when we are having a mountaintop experience, this is not where spiritual growth primarily takes place.  Spiritual growth takes place in the valley.  It is when we are going through the hard times of trials and troubles that we grow.  They are the fertile soil of growth.  The reason is that they drive us to God, to His Word, and to greater dependence.  In our weakness we seek God’s strength. All of a sudden we are more ready to listen and our hearts are more tender.  This is unless we get hard and bitter against the trouble.  Someone has also said, “In trials we either get bitter or better and it all depends on the ‘I.’”  It depends on my response to God during the trial.  Let them not drive me away from God but to Him, into His loving arms.  Then He will hold me, comfort me, and carry me through and I will grow spiritually in the fertile soil.

                                                  - Pastor Dan Smith

Last changed: Jun 26 2009 at 10:21 AM