For the past
year a Bible study friend of mine has been going through very rough times. She lost her Mom last year near the holidays,
most of the in between stuff is not mine to say, she has been fighting health
problems since this March, there are a couple new stressors on her life since
then, and her Dad just passed away this latest holiday. Why does her life seem like such never-ending
difficulties? Did she do something
wrong?
It’s weird
how we often think first about what we did wrong to make bad things happen in
our life. Certainly our own poor choices
may bring bad repercussions that last decades, but I don’t think God is ‘the
giver’ of anything that isn’t good.
Having said that, He certainly allows us to go through terrible times
when He finds in important in His plans- usually for our growth…
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
and comes down from the Father of lights… Jm. 1:17
Will God use
all the good and the ‘bad’ things that happen in this life to His advantage
such as helping us grow? My life is
proof that growth often comes from troubled times. And I see this dear friend standing stronger
in the Lord this year after all she’s been through. So does God allow these things to test and
try us? Let’s see what the Bible says
about difficult times, starting with Jesus’ promise of troubles:
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
My brothers, count it
all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations*, knowing that the
trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, so
that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. Jm. 1:3,4 (*trial, proving, or temptation)
in which you greatly rejoice, yet a little while, if need be, grieving in manifold
temptations*; so that the trial of your faith (being much more precious than
that of gold that perishes, but being proven through fire) might be found to
praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 1Pt. 1:6,7
And not only this,
but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience,
and patience works out experience, and
experience works out hope. Rm. 5:3,4
Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial
which is to try you, as though a strange
thing happened to you, but rejoice according as you are partakers of Christ's
suffering, so that when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with
exceeding joy. 1Pt. 4:12,13
Lord, help us to press in to You whenever hard times hit
us, so that we may find strength in Your arms, peace and joy in Your presence, and hope
in Your love. And my we continue to go
from glory to glory, maturing in all the trials of life, until we reflect Your
image.