As I was cooking breakfast today, I began to think about some struggles, trials and/or sufferings that occurred in my life. I don’t know whether it was the conversation the night before, about when I used to carry my clothes in a shopping bag. Or, the fact that my precious husband has been preaching on sufferings for several weeks. Maybe it was just the delicious fried bologna sandwich that I was making. They always make me think of the poverty we were in when I was growing up. Regardless of the trigger, I began looking back at the potholes, detours and debris that littered the path of my life.
It can be detrimental to our spiritual walk to look back in this way. We have to sift what we see through a spiritual lens and through the word of God.
We must be careful when we look back because, if we aren’t careful, we can begin to blame and/or question God. I/we ask him questions such as “Why did You allow that trial in my life?”. Or, we ask “why did You do that to me?”.
The first thing that we need to consider when we begin to look back and question God is, who are we to question GOD? Romans 9:20 says “On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?”
Another thing to consider is who is actually responsible for this trial? It is easy to blame God. It is hard to take a look at our trial and realize we were the one in control though. We were, more than likely, the God in our life at that moment in time.
Consider the good things that may have taken place in your life at that time. Do you give God the glory for them? No, because we were the one responsible for the “good” stuff. We did that! Well guess what, if God wasn’t in control and providing that “good” thing in your life, He isn’t responsible for the trial either.
This is a little bit of a rabbit trail. But, notice that I put the word “good” in parenthesis. I did that because if that “good” thing kept us from turning to God, it wasn’t really good. Anything that is done in our power or keeps us from God, is never a good thing. It is just one more thing that we use to get what we want or to glorify ourselves and not God.
When we aren’t blaming God, we typically question why He allowed that suffering or trial.
But, I know for me personally, God wasn’t in control of my life during most of my sufferings and trials. I was. I reminded God all the time that I didn’t need and/or want Him by my behavior and rejection. We do our own thing and then ask God why He allows trials. The question isn’t “why did God allow that trial” the question is was He Lord of your life in that moment and were you submitting to His will or yours?
We occasionally suffer trials that are outside of our control. Crimes that perpetrated against us, aren’t our fault, but they aren’t God’s either. They are the free will sin of another human being. God’s desire is that they would have a relationship with Him and not commit that sin. But just like we have free will to commit sin, so do they.
Illness is another suffering that we blame God for. But, God didn’t invent illness. Disease and illness were not in the Garden of Eden and they aren’t in Heaven. Therefore, they are not God’s will or desire for us. They are simply the consequences and effects of man’s sin on creation.
The last thing I want us to think about are God’s promises.
The harsh reality is that we ARE going to have trials in this life. Jesus said so. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
But God doesn’t leave us there.
Sons and daughters of God have these promises:
God promises never to leave or forsake us and that He is right there with us. “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8.
We are never alone. He was there, even when we felt completely abandoned. In fact, there were times when He was the one carrying us! “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” Isaiah 46:4
He will turn everything to good for those who love Him. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.
God will minister to us in our trials so that we can then minister to others.
These are two of my favorite verses. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
God is not forsaking us. He is, in fact, carrying us through trials. He will turn our trials to good. And, He ministers to us in our trials so that we can help and minister to others in their trials.
I have seen God use my trials so mightily. I consider every suffering in my life some of His greatest gifts. Through them He can minister to others, glorify Himself and draw them to a saving knowledge of Him.
God even uses the stupid mistakes I’ve made to reveal the magnitude of His mercy, love and forgiveness.
Thank you Father for not forsaking or leaving me/us. Thank you for carrying us, when we are to weak to crawl. And, thank you for turning the mess I made of my life into a message that glorifies you. Thank you for the sufferings. Most of all though, Father, thank you for the shed blood of Christ, that allows your mercy, love, forgiveness and for me/us to have a relationship with you. We pray this in Jesus precious and holy name.
Has your mess been turned into a message of God’s mercy? Have you seen God turn your trials to good? Have you experienced the awesome ability to minister to others because of the way He ministered to you? Do you consider your sufferings a blessing that God can use for His glory? Is Jesus Christ Lord of your life and are you allowing Him to lead you into the center of His will. And, if not, when are you going to get off His throne?
You can stop making a mess of your life and allow God to turn it into a message of His love, mercy and forgiveness in this very moment. Please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/). You will find a prayer outlined there. Please pray that prayer?
Once you have prayed, please reach out to me and let me know. I’d love to be in prayer with and for you.
I really do, Luv Ya. And, so does He,
Luv Ya!
