Trials

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:2,3

We all face trials and tribulations at some point in our life, there is no way around it. There are times when hurt fills our hearts and minds, weakening us emotionally and perhaps physically. Hope seems so unreachable and impossible, like we are reaching up to the sky but it’s too high up that we can’t touch it. Maybe hurt isn’t your struggle right now, maybe you’re fighting against anger. Feelings of anguish and agony eat at you because you’re so mad about something but can’t calm yourself down. You’re like a fire that can’t be put out because you don’t have any water.
Or you may be sitting here today trying to overcome pride and self-centeredness. You’re trying to become more humble…more compassionate toward others. Pride has you chained up. Your thinking you’re ‘all that in a box of chocolates’ bur feel like you’re still missing something. You’re wanting to live your life without people telling you what to do.
Not many feel this way often, but joy may be sweeping over you right now. You feel so happy-everything is going great. You may be one of those people who are always smiling. Someone who cares more about the needs of others than your own. You feel blessed. Or, if you’re like me, you’re may be wondering what’s going to happen next. Happiness doesn’t last forever. There’s got to be something to it, God’s going to allow you to face a trial soon but your so worried about what He’s going to do that you waste the joy you are filled with right now.
Whatever you may be going through or feeling right now, there’s something you need to know…”Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Joy is mentioned a lot in the Bible. We read is James to “count it all joy when we face trials of various kinds”. And you and I both know how hard it is to be joyful in our times of struggle. I mean sure, we know God’s going to use it to strengthen us but when we’re going through it joy doesn’t seen to fill us. How often do we speak and relate to David? Think about it, David was a man who knew all about trials and tribulations. Throughout Psalms we continually find David crying out to God, yet David doesn’t let his enemies bring him down. He put his trust in God and had faith that God would give him all the strength he needed. And as David was praying for joy he found it and said, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have with their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7).
Joy also comes when we’re absorbed I the Word. Now I don’t mean reading a few verses and then going about your day. I mean really reading the Bible as if it was the only book in this world. Be committed to God and show it by giving Him your focus, time, and love. God needs our whole heart. Often times we give Him only a small portion of our hearts and hope He begins to change our lives. However, we will find that without offering God our whole hearts He will not work in our lives the way He deeply desires to.
Love the LORD your God and walk in His ways and keep His commandments and cling to Him and serve Him with all you heart and with all your soul.
Joshua 22:5

It’s like this, your life is a puzzle scattered and torn, you’re asking God to take your heart-the pieces- and put your life back together. However you know there are some things in your life you don’t want to hand over to God. Such as lust, relationships, your purity, pride, addictions, and everything else you love more than Him, you will have a broken life.

Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Matthew 6:20,21

When David found himself looking to worldly things to fulfill him he asked the LORD to, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me”. When we’re going through stuff it’s easier to try to find fulfillment in the things of the world because the world offers instant fulfillment but not eternal fulfillment. It’s easier to wallow in our pity and draw others to feel sorry for us than to get over it and give it to the LORD. The comforting thing is that, “His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a life time. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning”.