Lesson 227 . The Opportunities Love Gives

I think that all of you, friends, have at some time asked God to give you love, happiness, friendship, patience, meekness, and other useful gifts for your soul. And what did you receive in answer to your requests? Let us recall the consequences of your prayers. I can share how God answered me.

When I asked for love, I did so because I realized that I did not have it, and I understood that I greatly needed it in order to respond correctly to the circumstances of life that had come crashing down upon me. I ask for love, and a storm begins all around me. It seemed that all the forces of spiritual wickedness in high places had come crashing down upon me. At first, I did not understand why God answered in precisely this way. I expected kind people with kind faces, whom I would love very much, but my neighbors came with distorted mouths and began to strike me with words and make my life miserable. But what I understood at that time was that I loved them, poor and unhappy as they were, yet I still had to make a choice about how to behave toward them. And I chose love. Then I understood something very important: when I ask for love, God gives it to me and at the same time gives me an opportunity to express it. And the conditions for testing this gift are not always to my liking. Sometimes I want to run away from all of it, but there is nowhere to go. And I begin to ask for greater love for a particular person and receive it, and I also receive wisdom about how to behave in one situation or another. Another opportunity opens up, followed by other opportunities to give away what I have received from God. And I give it away. And victory comes. The victory may be very small and almost unnoticeable, but it is mine. I won this battle, not by my own strength, but by the decision to allow God to endow me with His power for victory.

But it also happens that I ask for love toward those who love me, or those whom I have come to love begin to love me, and I rejoice at such a turn of events and thank God. For relationships like these glorify Him at all times.

When I ask for happiness, God blesses me in this matter as well, surrounding me with His blessings and various situations, and He waits to see what I will decide. He gives me opportunities to be happy in any trial and helps me achieve this by enabling me to view every situation positively and through the eyes of love. But I must choose whether I want to be happy or not.

Every problem will be resolved one way or another, but the attitude with which I resolve it depends solely on me. I choose happiness, and that is precisely how I make it through the next trial. Traditions and stereotypes greatly hinder me by imposing the general opinion that in one situation I must act one way and in another situation another way. But happiness teaches something entirely different and sometimes shows the most “insane” way out, which, as a rule, is the best one.

I am learning to ask God for happiness in every trial and then to live that way, and very many problems have simply stopped approaching me; apparently, they do not want to waste their time and strength on me.

And when I hear about my friends’ problems, I very carefully ask them whether they might like to learn happiness right now. For if you master this knowledge during a difficult time, it will then always be yours, because you know how it works when things are hard, while in easier matters it works very easily.

Being happy is a science that must be studied, mastered, and practiced. Otherwise, it will remain an empty wish offered on the next holiday, without an understanding of the foundations and laws of this state of soul and mind.

When I ask for the gift of friendship, it does not always concern pleasant people. When I first decided to try this with strangers, I saw only stony faces and impenetrable hearts. But God gave me an opportunity to prove to them that I was a true friend who loves at all times, and they believed me; God’s love and my persistence in being friendly convinced them of this. Many years have passed, and all my friends remain my friends, and I simply love them. Although we are not always able to communicate, our relationships remain strong and right.

But despite all our friendship, I understand that each of my friends has freedom of choice and may at any time change his attitude toward me and test the strength of my love. This is very painful, but Jesus stands beside me, holds me by the hand, shows me His wounds, and helps me understand that they were inflicted by the dearest people, whom He never stopped loving. And I calm down and choose love.

When I ask God for joy, He gives me an opportunity to express it under very difficult conditions. And it happens that where, according to the custom of the world, one should complain and groan, I rejoice and give thanks. I cannot tell you about everything; I know that many would condemn me as a madman. Therefore, I reveal many of my experiences of joy only to God and thank Him for this gift and for the opportunities to express it in this way. The Bible verse “Rejoice evermore” has become my motto in life, and this is the best solution to every problem.

My sins, however, do not bring me any joy; they bring pain and suffering, and I do not wish to live with them, so I try to get rid of them as soon as I recognize them.

When I ask for love and peace, God gives me a spirit of meekness, which I do not always ask for directly, but I understand that it is a consequence of my love and friendship and of my unwillingness to live according to the flesh and act according to the customs of the world. The closer I am to Jesus, the more I understand that I do not need very much in this world, that there are spiritual treasures that cannot be bought even with all the riches of the world but may be received freely in response to one’s thirst and desire to possess them.

Meekness is an opportunity to show the world whose side you are on and Who reigns within you. It is such happiness to be meek, especially since it is the meek who have been promised our Earth as an inheritance.

When I ask for patience, I do not need it in peaceful times, but God gives me an opportunity to express it during a storm by allowing the storm to come crashing into my life. The enemy of souls offers his help and waits only for my choice so that I may silence all my opponents and put them in their place. But I choose love and friendship, and I understand that this is also expressed in patience toward those who can be very unbearable.

If I ask for a spirit of generosity, I am given an opportunity to express it even when there is no money, and all the more when money appears. God also gives me discernment about how to use God’s resources properly without serving money or loving it, but giving with joy and willingness.

I am writing this to you, friends, so that, having set out on this path of love, friendship, and happiness, you will always remember that with every gift from God we are given both the gift itself and an opportunity to apply it and test its strength and faithfulness. This is so that you will not become disappointed when you encounter trials and problems, but will resolve them boldly. This is God’s school of love, and its program is the same for all students, although the assignments and their difficulty are different for everyone, just as we are all different, with different understanding and perception.

But what brings joy is that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. With Him, we can plan and build everything, knowing that He will never fail us. Therefore, do not be afraid, do not fear, and do not be terrified if difficulties and trials come. Every crisis is not a loss or the end, but a new opportunity to learn something and gain something new for yourself. In every trial there is an opportunity to glorify God.

Homework 227

In the light of our lesson, please read Philippians 4:4, 13; Colossians 1:10–11; 3:12–15; Matthew 5:3–11; Psalm 119:2; 1 Peter 4:13–14; Romans 4:7–8; Revelation 22:14; 2 Corinthians 6:10; 13:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; and Acts 20:24.
Did you understand anything from this lesson?
Why are good things from God always tested?
Why is it necessary to ask and plead with our Heavenly Father for good things, and then, having received them, to face difficult trials?
Is it possible to travel the narrow way without struggle and problems? Give examples.
Where is God during my trials?
Why does the time of the end conclude with a global crisis? Could everything not be arranged more peacefully?
Does the prospect of trials frighten you? Would you like to travel the narrow way without any difficulties?
Where will loving people be surrounded by “soft and cuddly” friends with broad smiles and happy faces?