Dear Precious Friends,
On this beautiful new day, this TGIFF (Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday) I pray we are waking up to a new day with gratefulness for the incredible gift it is and embracing the gift of grace given to us through Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. We know God still has us here because He has work left for us to do. Unfortunately, we know we will have troubles in this world as John 16:33 reminds us, but we can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.
When we are walking through difficult times, we have to remember the strength to endure every painful trial is with us in Christ! He gives us power and sharpens our faith through these difficulties. He is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. As we lift up our fears to Him, we allow His power to take over as He takes our struggles. Trials are opportunities for Him to show His power through us. One of the most difficult parts of the Christian life is the fact that becoming a disciple of Christ does not make us immune to life’s trials and tribulations. Why would a good and loving God allow us to go through such things as the death of a loved one, disease and injury to ourselves and our loved ones, financial hardships, worry and fear? Surely, if He loved us, He would take all these things away from us. After all, doesn’t loving us mean He wants our lives to be easy and comfortable? Well, no, it doesn’t. The Bible clearly teaches that God loves those who are His children, and He “works all things together for good” for us (Romans 8:28). So that must mean that the trials and tribulations He allows in our lives are part of the working together of all things for good. Therefore, for the believer, all trials and tribulations must have a divine purpose.
As in all things, God’s ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This is the goal of us as Christians, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, is designed to enable us to reach that goal. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God’s purposes and fitted to live for His glory. The way trials accomplish this is explained in 1 Peter 1:6-7: "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." As true believer’s, our faith will be made sure by the trials we experience so that we can rest in the knowledge that it is real and will last forever.
Trials develop Godly character, and that enables us to "rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). Jesus Christ set the perfect example. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). These verses reveal aspects of His divine purpose for both Jesus Christ’s trials and tribulations and ours. Persevering proves our faith. "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).The timing is the Lord's. He knows the outcome. We can use these difficulties to bring glory to God. We can never surrender in the heat of the battle because we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. So take heart my friends and know without a doubt the struggles and trials we suffer are always an opportunity for God to reveal his power to you. It is being worked out in the timing of God who already knows the outcome. Each time a painful situation brings us to our knees, we must use that position to give glory to God! It frustrates the devil when we do. We must never let the enemy convince us to surrender in the heat of battle for we are nowhere near being defeated. We are more than conquerors through Christ and He is not about to leave us or forsake us.
Have a blessed day knowing God is with us, he is chiseling us into a stronger Christian through the trials we walk through so we can help others walking through difficulties because of what we have experienced.
AMEN!
