Signpost 2:  Allowing Circumstances to Obscure God’s Glory
by Sammy Tippit

There are five signposts that should alert God's people that spiritual awakening is needed. Here, Sammy Tippit shares the second one.

God never promised that the Christian would ever be exempt from difficult circumstances. Hard times are to be expected. Trials will come to us as Christians. It's quite easy, however, for the Christian to lose his focus during the difficult times. It's easy for us to place all our focus on circumstances and miss the beauty of Christ. We then begin to drift away from our first love. Worship of the worthy One becomes mundane, and we stand in the need of revival.

This principle was illustrated to me one day in Germany. I was staying in a small village in a mountainous area where it snowed often during the winter. I jogged regularly with a group of guys in the area. One day when we went out for our daily run, the ground was covered with about a foot of fresh snow. The first half-hour of our run was complete drudgery. Fearful of tripping in the fresh snow, I trudged along, keeping my eyes on the ground. Every step became more difficult. I was at the point of exhaustion when I looked up. I couldn't believe my eyes. I could see for miles. The house, hills, trees, and roads were spotlessly white. Everything sparkled in the reflection of the sunlight. The view was magnificent, and I was awe-stricken. I decided to slow down, even walk, if necessary, in order to keep my eyes in the splendid scenery. A jog of absolute drudgery turned into one of immense delight. The difference was simply where I placed my focus.

Many Christians today have endured trials. Some of those believers have lost the joy of a Christian life because they have misplaced their focus. They have looked at their trials and difficulties for so long that the Christian life has become a drudgery. They need to slow down, stop, and behold the beauty of Jesus.

There are two things of which the Christian can be absolutely sure. First, there will be difficulties in the Christian life. Second, Jesus will be with him in those difficulties. The beauty and majesty of God can most clearly be seen in times of trouble. The child of God needs only to look up and see Christ's glory. The Christian does not need to ignore his trials as though they do not exist. He simply needs to recognize the sovereignty of God in the midst of his difficulties.

The deepest and purest moments of worship often come in the midst of trials and struggles. It's during those times that we come to appreciate the sufferings of Jesus. Therefore, we must learn to look unto Jesus during the difficult times in our lives.