Trials: November 6, 2014

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2014.

TRIALS

DEFINITION:

The state or position of a person or thing being tried or tested; suffering; grief; tribulation or distress.

SCRIPTURE:

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Almost every day we as believers face trials in our life. Some are minor and some are major. We have used the scripture above from the book of James for this WORD because when we face a trial of any proportion we need wisdom from God as to how to face that trial. We need wisdom to know how to respond to suffering, life situations, family issues and many other “things” that we face daily.

Many people think that if we know and serve the Lord we will have a problem free life. This is not what God promised us. God did promise that with Him we would prevail but without trials to prevail over we cannot know what it is to prevail with God. It is in the good times when life is rosy and carefree that we are most likely to forget God and think we do not need Him. It is also easy to want to blame God for our trials when life gets tough. Suffering and problems are painful but they are also opportunities for growth in our faith and dependence on the Lord. We learn more in our troubled times than in our good times. We need to see trials that come our way from God’s viewpoint and understand His purposes in allowing them in our lives.

We have eight truths to share with you today that will help you to look at trials in your life from a positive perspective, God’s perspective.

God is in full control of the timing and intensity of every one of your trials and He will not let it go beyond the boundaries that He has set.

God has a purpose for your trial or suffering which you may not understand until it is over. You will understand if you are in the proper relationship with Him.

The trial will be profitable if you submit it to God and trust Him through it.

A trying situation like a trial is a great chance for your faith to grow genuine and stronger.

When you endure extreme pressure while going through a trial with unexplainable peace and joy (that only the Lord can give you) the Lord will demonstrate His sustaining power to a world that is watching you and wondering how you will respond.

God will use your trials to produce a Christ-like character in you.

God will walk with you every moment through your trials.

The Holy Spirit will enable you to survive any and all your trials, if you give them to the Lord, and you will survive as a conqueror.

If you truly believe these principles and follow them as you face trials they will shape how you respond to every difficulty you might face in life. Instead of feeling miserable and hopeless when you face a trial you will experience peace and joy.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 2:4.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

PRAYER:

Help me to grasp these 8 principles so that when a trial comes m way I might know how to face that trial and come out rejoicing. Help me to lead my family and friends to understand these principles so they may also experience peace and victory when they face a trial in their life.