Steve Alessi: Author of Alessi’s Angle, Pastor of Metro Life Church in Miami, Husband of World Renown Worship Leader Mary Alessi and Father of Four.
My first
introduction to Cuba was walking out of the Jose Marti Airport and seeing an
older lady in the crowd of people waiting outside of arrivals, holding a young
man tight in her arms as she wept and would not let him go. I wondered how long
it had been since she last saw her loved one and how many years did she pray
for this reunion?
Do you
remember the first time someone told you to be happy when things go wrong? We
probably hear it more often than we take note of and in different ways such as “don’t’
worry, be happy” or “think
positive”. Over the
years, I've tried to keep that kind of bright outlook about life. I could call it the fighter in me, yet I know
it’s the faith in me that makes
me a fighter. Every day I DECIDE to
stand by the truth in the Word of God regardless of my situation or
feelings.
Yes, that’s
easier said than done; especially when you read verses such as this in the
Bible; “consider it
pure joy whenever we face trials, because you know that the testing of your
faith produces perseverance” (James
1:2-3). Whaaat!? I'm having a hard enough time with the trials
coming and having to persevere through them, but how could God test me?
Especially when He knows what a test does to me! I’m
sorry, but God would not put me through that kind of torture. He knows I get
super nervous when I have to take a test. He knows that my heart races crazy
fast, to the point that it feels like it’s
going to jump out of my chest, causing my face to heat up and grow red blotches
around my neck. No, I can’t believe
God would be the one to give me a test. I just can’t
wrap my human mind around that one, and that's why these verses really disturb
me. I prefer to believe my trials come from the enemy. But, because I am
certain that God loves me and has a plan
for my life, in obedience, I have set out to consider my test “pure
joy” even if I am having to
preserve longer than I ever thought I would. I'm confident He will see me
through to victory so I can pass the test, because I believe what is written in
Scripture.
These words
in James came back to my mind while I was ministering in Cuba. The Cuban people
have learned to persevere and the ones we were able to minister to choose to do
so with pure joy. I thought the 7 years of trying to have a baby with my
husband has been a long, long time, until I met a farmer whose Christian wife
has been asking him to go to church with her and their children for about 10
years. That is long time to love and serve God without her spouse. This wife
has been praying for his salvation for years and probably never expected some
Americans to end up on their farm in December 2010 to share God’s
love with him. This past week, Metro Life returned to visit the same farmer
with a brand new Bible for him and his persevering wife. I was so blessed to
see God’s hand at
work, as her long prayed petition was being answered through us, and she
probably never imagined God sending an Italian Pastor with his mob from Miami
to do so. Nevertheless, she’s lived out
James 1:2-3 because she had not given up hope. Her prayers, love and actions
have been preparing Osvaldo’s heart for
our second visit and for his glorious surrender to our loving Savior.
A decade is
a long time, but think about the pain of the woman with the issue of blood –
she suffered with that for twelve years. Yet, she did not give up faith. She
prepared to turn her faith into action when she decided to go into the crowd.
She gave it another try and pushed through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’
cloak. After twelve years of trial, she
heard the Lord say “Take heart,
daughter, your faith has healed you.”
We may not
know when or how God will answer our long prayed petition. Cuban families are
still waiting to be reunited, they are still waiting to be free. We each have
lifted the desires of our hearts to our able God and we will pray without
ceasing as He says in His Word. But don’t
for a second think that a season of waiting is a season without joy. NOPE! “Consider
it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
James 1:2-3
So be
intentional about living that passage out in your life, and remember to “Take
delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
(Psalm 37:4) The beauty is that I find “pure
joy” every time I decide to
delight in the Lord, because I know He's giving me my heart’s
desire.
Love this blog! Amazing testimonies & great encouragement!