Oh The Trials...

Oh The Trials...

by David Brenneman 

"Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." James 1:2-3 NASB 

This is such a potential and powerful passage.  Indeed it goes hand in hand with a song that I heard the other day. 

My God is Still the Same - Sanctus Real 

Just ask the waves
If they are stilled at the mention of His name
They'll say my God is still the same
Ask the walls
If they still fall at the mighty sound of praise
They'll say my God is still the same

When did He break His promise?
When did His kindness fail?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
When did He lose His power?
When did His mercy change?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same, yeah
My God is still the same

Just ask the words
You prayed in desperation if they're heard
They'll say my God is still the same
Ask the grave
If it's strong enough to keep hope in it's chains
It'll say, "God is still the same"
Yeah

When did He break His promise?
When did His kindness fail?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
When did He lose His power?
When did His mercy change?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same, yeah

Not once did He ever stop moving
Not once has He ever let go
Not once did He ever stop proving
Our God is in control
Not once did He ever stop moving
Not once has He ever let go
Not once did He ever stop proving
Our God is in control

When did He break His promise?
When did His kindness fail?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
When did He lose His power?
When did His mercy change?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same, yeah

Not once did He ever stop moving
Not once has He ever let go
Not once did He ever stop proving
Our God is in control
Not once did He ever stop moving
Not once has He ever let go
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
(My God is still the same)
My God is still the same

I also heard a statement last night on the way home from work on the radio. 

Quite often we pray for God to grant things like deliverance or patience an when we open the door of our heart, since we don't recognize what it is His answer looks like we close the door in frustration and complain to God about it. 

Are not His ways higher than ours? His thoughts than ours? 

We are not the dictators in life to God on how things shall be.  We come to Christ as adopted children of God and we indeed have a place in the Kingdom but telling God what to do isn't one of those new responsibilities. 

It's hard to be joyful in all circumstances. More often than not frustration grabs me long before joy ever comes on the scene. 

I can look back on my pilgrimage of sorts in between taking the leap of faith in October and when we finally moved in December.  I had many times when I cried out for God. For understanding, for how I felt.  There were several times tears came only because of being separated from my Wife.  

Looking back it was indeed the only way to make this new life possible. There is Psalms 23 that oh so many people quote.  

I challenge you to read the 4 Gospels from an emotional perspective.  Emotionally the challenges and changes to the lives of the Disciples was heavy.  

To follow what Jesus said of taking up your own cross is going to be equally difficult.  You are going to live out the hymn "Trust and Obey".  You will go through things that, from a human perspective, are impossible.  You will face things that you will want to run from. 

You will be challenged to change your way of thinking because we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds by the Word of God when we take in the Word of God. 

In no way was I ever left by Jesus or forsaken in those months of traveling between two cities.  It felt like it at times, but the truth is it brought me farther away from the world and closer to Jesus. 

It's what's behind my rethinking my hobbies.  It's behind what's shaping up to be new priorities for me. 

As I look at things from this new perspective that trials have given me, I can see God's hands in them. Indeed some moments felt like going through the valley of the shadow of death. I look back and see split mountains where I was brought through.  See others that were moved out of the way. Still more that He brought me over.  

No doubt more are what lies ahead.  

To count it all joy is still a challenge.  The biggest temptation is to beg God to change His mind or to change the rules. 

We are going to go through things unpleasant because of the work of the Spirit of God in us.  All surgeries are unpleasant.  You are invading the human body in unnatural and unpleasant ways.  It's highly uncomfortable.  Yet afterwards we see the health of most improve.  In the work of the Spirit Spiritual Surgeries are His specialty.  Removing things that hinder our new life in Christ.  Removing those things that give the name of Jesus a bad reputation.  Doing things that make us more like Christ. 

In Heaven for sure we will count it all joy because of being where we will be.

Our hope is that our loved ones put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation and we find them there when it's our time to leave this world.  Likewise we need to be sure of our own salvation in Christ Jesus before that time.  

There is nobody in Hell who doesn't believe the truth of God's Word about God.

They either rage at God for going through with the sentence that put them there in torment or they are those who thought they were good people and weep at finding out they were wrong and fell short.

Some there would blame their trials as to why they are there. God uses every means necessary to open the eyes of every individual to the truth of their need to be saved in Christ Jesus.  Every means.  Scripture says that everyone will be without excuse. 

Trials bring believers closer to God. 

Trials bring unbelieving people to that understanding that they need a Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

How you respond to them is on you. There's a sinful response and a Godly response in the lives of Believers. 

There's denial in the lives of the unbelieving.  I pray often for all my coworkers both past and present.  Someone was praying for me before I came to Christ for salvation.  I pray for my family to be closer to God today than yesterday.  I pray for the men that I am friends with who are Pastors and their wives. 

Praying people do get through the trials of life and with God's grace they might even understand why.  Some trials we will never know why until we get to Heaven and can ask.  As in Daniel's writings in his book of the Bible, he was told that it wasn't for him to know. No doubt that now that he's in the presence of Jesus he has been told. 

In this journey called life, trust God's answers even if they don't make sense.  Don't turn away from what God puts at the doorway of your heart that is His answer to you.  Even if you don't like it...it came from Him.