Chapter 14:
Why Do We Go Through Trials me.
God allows trials and tribulation to come along into our lives, with the purpose of helping us grow in Him. God gives us strength, through His Holy Spirit to overcome those trials. All we have to do is put our trust in Him and let Him bring us through them. Some Christians fail as they try to go through their own hardships, because they do not understand that they need to trust God. Every time they try to go through a trial on their own strength, they fall.
1. Trials and tribulation happen to us so that the glory and power of God can be revealed in and through us. We may not understand at the time why certain things are happening and we may never know why we have to go through them. God’s glory will be revealed in us, when we turn to God in the midst of our difficult situations.
2. God uses trials and tribulation to purify us. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 4:1 that Jesus suffered for us in the flesh and we will suffer too. Our suffering, in difficult times, will burn sin and selfishness out of our lives. God allows these times of suffering so we will learn to live for Him and not for ourselves. We will pursue His Will and not our own will. In Hebrews 12:10, God desires us to be partakers of His holiness. He wants us to let go of worldly things and cling to what is most important in life-HIM!
3. God uses our trials and tribulations to discipline us. “Do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him: for whom the Lord loves He chastens and scourges ever son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-6) There are times we get to big for our britches and God has to take us down a notch. We think we can handle our problems by ourselves, so we don't let God work them out.
Every time we rise above the trials in our lives and find the joy, love, peace and the light of Jesus, our faith will increase. God will meet us in the midst of our trials and He will not only purify us, but will increase our compassion for the suffering of others. As we continue to live for God, His glory will be revealed in us. We may be in the midst of a trial but it will soon be over and happiness is on it’s way. “For his anger endureth but for a moment, in His favour is life: weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.
