Trials

Everyone in his or her lifetime will experience some kind of hardship or pain. Scripture says,

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:2

This verse gives us hope and a reason to be joyful in times of heartache and pain.
I once heard a speaker say, “if you won't worship God in the wilderness then you won't worship Him in the promise land."

It is so very easy to praise Him when times are good. We get that pay raise or someone we know is healed from an illness and at those times, it is very easy to rejoice in Him. What about when those beautiful blue skies turn dark and the clouds roll in and the rain begins to fall? When those storms come, where do you find yourself?

We choose whether we will stand in the middle of the storm with our arms lifted to the sky praising Him or fall into the "why me" trap that Satan sets up so that we focus on the circumstances that surround us. God allows us to experience storms so that we may put our focus and trust completely in Him, so that our faith in Him will grow. It is part of His plan to grow us and to complete the work He began in us when He created us.

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

He has it all laid out before Him and when we question Him or try to avoid the "speed bump" before us, it becomes an act of faithlessness in what He promises He will do for us. Rejoice in where He is taking you and realize that it is only for your good so that on the other side you will have grown and matured which will make you usable to help someone else who may come upon the very storm you once weathered yourself.

James 1:2
Philippians 1:6