Do you ever throw yourself a pity
party? I used to do it quite often;
every time I faced a time of trouble, felt tribulation or grief and sorrow came
my way. Basically, any time my life
wasn’t okay, I would spend some time wallowing in ‘woe is me’ mentality. It took me far too long to get a better
perspective on suffering and trials.
These are some of the important things I finally learned and try to
remember when faced with difficulties.
Whether or not you are a good person or born again, pain, suffering and
trials are a part of all human life.
…even though you have to suffer
various kinds of trial for a little while, 1Pt. 1:6 ISV
(In prosperity or adversity consider:) God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may
not find out anything that will be after him. Ec. 7;14
so that no one should be drawn
aside by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to
them. 1Th. 3:3
Tribulation was assured to happen by Jesus, but so was peace in Him.
I have spoken these things to you
so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation,
but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Jh. 16:33
Pain, suffering and trials can produce better character in us.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing
that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame... Rom.
5:3-5 (also Jm. 1:2-4)
God is sovereign and can do or allow in our lives what He wants to.
Our God is in the heavens; he
does all that he pleases. Ps. 115:3 (both ESV)
I know that you can do all
things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2
The things He allows are for a good reason even if we don’t know that
reason.
…the trying of your faith works
patience. Jm. 1:3
in every way having been troubled, but not having been
hemmed in; having been perplexed, but not utterly at a loss; 2Cor. 4:8
There is always some one worse off than me.
- logical conclusion
Going through tough times is far easier with the Lord than getting mad
and ignoring Him.
Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they
comfort me. Ps. 23:4
…He is our merciful Father and the God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our suffering… 2Cor 1:3,4
This mortal life is only meant to prepare us for our eternal one.
Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is
decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction,
which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal
weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the
things which are not seen are eternal. 2Cor 4:16-18
ASV
The person
that we are is dying every moment of every day of our mortal lives. This is not our home (1Pt. 2:11), but what we do here will determine our
final destination- heaven or hell (Jh. 3:16-18). Our soul, the person inside our flesh can be
renewed every day, for though we suffer trials for short (or seemingly long)
times, they are still only temporary and
what we can physically see now. The
things we can’t see, like how wonderful and perfect life will be with Jesus,
forever without sadness, fear, death etc. should hold more weight, for they are
glorious and forever!!!
Pain, trials or suffering again? So what!
It’s only temporary and vanishes quickly when compared to the thousands of years in perfection with Jesus…
...and then forever more!
For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are
not
worthy to be compared
with the coming glory
to be revealed in us.
Rom. 8:18