Trials Along Life's Journey

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (I Peter 4:12-13)

 Peter wrote his letter to Christians, many of whom were suffering through extreme ordeals. Some were engaged in desperate circumstances. Some were driven from their homes, and many were struggling just to survive, so Peter gave them hope. He encouraged them to look beyond their present condition and to rejoice even in the midst of their troubles. 

Our troublesome situations today might not be the same as those first century believers, but the truth is, sooner or later we will all face troubles and trials along life’s journey. Here are some principles to remember:.

  1. Trials are common things. James 1:2 teaches us, it is when, not if, we encounter various trials. If you have no troubles right now, you are the exception, not the rule. If you are experiencing difficult circumstances, consider this fact; more are on the way. Doesn’t that make your day? Everybody is dealing with something, even the best Christians you know.
  2. Trials come in various packages. They may be physical, financial, emotional, relational, or spiritual. They may suddenly land at the door of your home, your business, your church.  They may be brief or prolonged. They may be self-inflicted or not related to anything you’ve done or not done. Sometimes they just hit you seemingly for no apparent reason.
  3. Trials test your faith; they stretch your faith. They can make you bitter or better, so trust God and hang on.
  4. Without trials, we would never grow into mature, battle-tested believers. 

Everything that comes into your life is Father-filtered. He makes no mistakes, so if you’re in the midst of a trial of some kind today, remember what Peter said and keep pressing on. 

The Pastor’s Pocket

Pastor Bruce Freeman


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are You Ready?

Image
It’s that time of the year when the animals are getting ready for winter. They make sure their nesting place is ready for hibernation. They are gathering food or eating a lot of food now to sustain them during the winter months.   In the mornings when we wake up, we get ready for the day. When we are expecting visitors, we get ready for their arrival. The airline industry works hard to make sure their planes are ready to fly. Athletes warm up to get ready for competition.   Jesus tells us to get ready because He is coming.  Are you ready for His return? We must be prepared, for one day the Lord will surely come. How can you be sure you are ready for that moment? (1) Make sure you are saved, born again. (2) Be serving Christ in some capacity. (3) Make sure you are doing the will of God. (4) Be a worshipper. Practice now praising the Lord because that is what you will do in heaven (Revelation 4-5).   Are you prepared for an encounter with the Lord today? Have you positioned yourself to m
Read more

Shopping Season

Image
Our daughter was shopping at a wholesale store recently and sent my wife this text, “Insane how packed it is on Wednesday afternoon!” My wife’s reply to her was, “Tis the season”. The busy shopping season has begun. It’s a great time of the year for retailers.  During this season as Christians, we mustn’t venture out without asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with patience and give us the strength to maintain a Christ-like spirit.   This is a shopping season when many people are searching for, hoping for, something that will satisfy a craving, fulfill a longing, or give them a thrill. For some it will be a party, alcohol, a new car, new clothes, a new boyfriend/girlfriend perhaps. For some, their happiness comes from a sale at the mall, and their many purchases. It’s a season when many are looking for a “high” which turns out to be only temporary.   Friend, there is a “high” you cannot buy. It’s righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). It’s not something temporal
Read more

Trusting God

Image
You’ve never really given a problem over to God until you completely trust Him with the outcome. Too much of our faith in prayer is tied to getting God to do what we think is best. We rejoice if God does what we ask or if He responds as we think He should. What if God has other plans? Is He any less faithful?   The truth is, God sometimes does have plans that differ from our own agenda.   As we pray, we must be willing to accept whatever God determines best.   That’s never easy, but it’s a place we must come to in our understanding of the Holy One.   We all know the story of the three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and the fiery furnace.   The story is found in Daniel chapter 3.   An order had gone out from the Babylonian king that everyone in the province was to bow down to the golden idol, and anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace. I love the approach of these three men in Daniel 3:17, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
Read more