“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
These times, when they arrive, are personal, in some way they refer to you, they refer to not only our physical well-being, but within our mind as well, which in turn, if faith, our faith in the promises in the Word of God, is not firm upon that foundation, will also be affected.
These trials and tribulations always come with a singular purpose from your Father in heaven, so that we will grow in the trust, the faith of His promises, they are always brought upon us out of a love for us.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer. 29:11)
Trials and tribulations are a part of those plans. But what if you start to think that they are arriving too often, too close together, what if there does not seem to be a break between them? Not just one continuous trial that seems to go on forever, or a tribulation that just will not abate, but the moment one has been completed, fulfilled so to speak, the next one of an entirely different nature begins?
The Lord shows us the way out of the temptation not so that we can escape it, but so that we can bear it. But at the same time, He reveals this loving truth to us, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Can you remain in that perfect peace when the physical pain today is replaced with a different one tomorrow? When the turmoil, so to speak, of your mind finds relief for only a few moments, and then the righteous anger within you for the fools of this world who despise His Holy name is replaced with an ever-growing hatred for this world of sin?
Those who do not understand this short letter will say, “He will never give us more than we can bear.” But that is a fallacy, for if He does not, we would never lean upon Him in those times or in any other, pride would begin to settle in our hearts, and when those times of trials and tribulations arrive, we would begin to question the Almighty’s will in our lives, we would begin to doubt His love for us, we would cease to grow in our faith.
What if, after He removes you from the freezing water He places you in the burning furnace, and then from there into a dry and thirsty land?
Contemplate this if you will, those who will not stand firm upon the Rock of their salvation, who begin to question His will in those seemingly never-ending trials and tribulations, are they fit for, or will they move towards this verse with anticipation, with joy in love? “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2nd Tim. 3:12)
If you will not stand in the fire, if you will not endure in that dry and thirsty land, how do you expect to serve, and that with a willing heart, in those persecutions, for they can only arrive if you speak of Him to others.
Satan does not care one whit how much you contemplate the Word of God in your mind, it does not bother him in any way if you hide those words in your heart, but he most definitely takes notice of those who begin to speak of the Living God, of our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ in public, to those who are still under the bondage of sin.
The trials and tribulations are in a sense a testing ground, if you will, and my friends, if you do not accept them as from your Father in heaven as a means to increase your desire to serve, no matter the personal consequences to yourself, you will have little desire to reveal to others your love for Him, and the love He offers to them.
