Is God like a buffet?

What we 'need' is not always what we want. Most children don't want to eat their vegetables, but they need to eat them to obtain nutrition to grow healthy. If you got to a buffet restaurant you will often see children (and adults) fill their plates with a lot of enticing items... and a few vegetables. Do we treat God like a buffet? "I think I would like some of that Grace, but not that Judgement." or "Oh yes please pass the Salvation, but you can keep that bowl of Repentance." Perhaps it's; "Thank you for the nice serving of 'Blessings on my life', but I don't really want any of that 'Share my faith with others platter'." Just as a balanced diet needs all types of food a balanced Christian Life needs all that God has planned for us.

In James 5:10-11 we read, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." God allows affliction, persecution, judgement, to mold us into the kind of believer He can use. The success of that molding depends on how we choose to endure. In the Greek (no I did not take Greek, but a few things stick when I hear them in sermons) the word endure in this verse can be further defined:
to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee

1. to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
2. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

A good way to picture this is to think of a vaccination/hypodermic needle, and the word 'hypo' is from the Greek word hypomeno/hupomeno=endure. If you get a shot it has to go under your skin in order to be effective, it has to become part of you. If it were just poured onto your skin it would run off and be of no help. No one likes to get shots but we know that it is what we need, and the pain is worth the health outcome, preventing disease. The Christian life is more than just a one time decision it is a constant process of seeking God and learning from His plan for us.

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Yup.. it said ALL... even the struggles, pain , and testings. Why? Let's look ahead a bit to Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that, and acceptable,and perfect will of God." The term "this world" usually refers to the physical world we live in that is not in agreement with God. It's not hard to see that 'this world' is a spiritual and emotional battle ground, vying for your time, thoughts, and even money. God allows the trials to show us our need of Him and His guidance. With His help He wants us to make changes in our lives. If we don't want to be conformed to the world and we want to do the perfect will of God, where can we find that? How can we 'renew our mind' to be pleasing to God? II Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Daily Bible study and prayer are the keys to having a balanced Christian life and knowing what God wants from us.

In times of trouble, pain, sorrow and fear God wants us to look to Him, not give up or become discouraged. He wants us to search His word and then look at our own heart and lives and see if any changes are needed. Perhaps enduring will mean waiting on Him and trusting in His plan. When we eat our "vegetables" and get our "vaccinations" we can live a much more balanced and productive life for God.


Greek New testament lexicon for Hupomeno:
http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5278