Four questions that could define your life

There are times that, no matter who we are, we all must face. These moments of decision that will define who we are and who we are to become. Sometimes these times come during trials. But other times these times come during blessings. We all know that trials can bring out the worst or best in us. But did you ever take time to think that blessings can do the same? 

I have been defined by the tragedies I have had to face and work daily to overcome. But sometimes I let blessings define me as well. How is it that I act if I am suddenly blessed financially? What if I have been blessed with a certain talent? I am faced with a similar choice if either of these should occur. If I choose to keep all that I am blessed with to myself how will that define me? A recent conversation with someone made me think of how I would act if a $173 million winning lottery ticket was in my hand? Would I hoard it? Would I spend it all? Would I give it all away? My decision defines who I am. 

I was told by someone once over this last year of my life that my stumbles and falls would be forgiven solely based on what I had gone through. While I appreciated the sentiment, I have to say that is wrong.  Just because I have a trial to face, no matter how large it is, I have no excuse for choosing to act selfishly or blaming God for the circumstances I find myself in. But I also know that if I acted selfishly after being blessed rather than cursed one thing remains the same. I can still be forgiven. God doesn't care why I sinned. He only wants to remove that sin from me as far as the east is from the west. 

In this last year I have found myself in situations where I have not acted as God would have me to act. Sometimes I recognized what I was doing and the wrongness of it and stopped. Sometimes I didn't stop. But God forgives me regardless. The I find myself doing something my God cannot do. I carry the guilt of a sin around with me. This is the same sin that God forgave and forgot. 

What about your life? How have blessings or trials shaped you? Take this little test:

1. God blessed you in a special way. Did you pass the blessing on? Did you soak in the blessing and point out to everyone how much God must love you to have blessed you so richly?

2. God met a real need in your life. Did you thank Him and ask Him to show you how you could bless another? Did you immediately go on to the next need on your list?

3. You are going through a trial in your life that doesn't seem to end. Did you recognize that, no matter how painful the trial, that God will eventually see you through? Did you wallow in the pity of it all enjoying the attention it brought you?

4. You have a real need in your life that you know God wants to fill but He hasn't yet? Do you continue to seek His face and ask Him to show you the good that can come of your need? Did you take matters into your own hands like Abraham did by marrying Hagar?

These are four simple tests to run your life through. I hope you can answer favorably to each of them. I wish that I could have every time I faced similar situations. But I can't do  haven't.  I'm human. But God is God and He still sits on the throne. And from His throne He shows me grace, mercy, forgiveness. And He still has a lot more to give out if we will only ask Him.