What good are trials and troubles?

Tuesday February 7 2012

Romans 5: 3-5.

“We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us- they help us to learn to endure. 4) And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.  5) And this expectation will not disappoint us, for we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.”

Endure: To withstand, suffer or persevere.  Verses relating to - Psalms 69:1-9, Psalms 78:69, Psalms 106:1, Matthew 10:22, 1Corinthians 13:7, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 12:1, James 5:11, 1Peter 1:6, 1Peter 2:19.

How long have you endured problems and trials?  You may be in the middle of a turmoil right now.  It seems the older we get the longer the list of trials becomes.  Paul says we should rejoice when we run into problems because they help  us.  Have you heard about the brook?  “If it wasn’t for the rocks, the brook would be silent.” “It is the sound of the brook that enhances its beauty. Our lives are similar, in that, the trials in our lives enhance our beauty, beauty that our Creator intended us to have but often it is not evident until  exposed by measures, which are not always pleasant.

In the city of Ephesus there are many ancient structures that have been excavated through years of precise and painstaking efforts. It is amazing how carefully and meticulously archaeologists brush the years of grit and soil and other build up off the treasured artifacts that have been unearthed.  It takes long hours of careful scraping and cleaning to actually realize what has been found.  That is the way we are.  Our true beauty is often hidden by years of debris and that’s when our Great Creator needs to take measures to “clean” us so the hidden beauty will come forth and we can fulfill the purpose that God has for us to become the treasure that He can use for His glory.

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, I thank you and praise you for being a faithful God who always walks beside me. Even though I often feel like I am in the midst of unsolvable trials, I know you are there. I also know, dear Lord, that I need much refining and when I look back on my life, I can see that the trials I endured, were necessary to get rid of years of collecting debris.  I know the refining process helped my spiritual growth and brought me closer to your side. Help me to keep treading on and looking to you for strength as I live in the wonderful peace that your presence provides.  In Jesus name, amen.