We live in a world where we all, the saved and unsaved alike, will face a broad range of difficult experiences. People are often left broken, torn, hopeless, rejected....We often harbour feelings of regret, resentment, unforgiveness, and worthlessness among other things.
None of us can escape the trying times. We can be certain then, that we will have to go through the persecutions, rejections, insults, conflicts, situations, necessities and circumstances. We will encounter problems with our spouses, or children, family members, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbours, and many others. We will face challenges such as health issues, financial difficulties, loss, death, bankruptcy, marital separation, divorce, addictions, unplanned pregnancy, emotional and mental issues, abuse, and situations where we feel victimized.
But, the Word of God, the Truth of God, tells us, that for the Redeemed, for us, the saved, the chosen ones, we are to rejoice when we experience such trials.
Sometimes we have to admit, that doing what God wants - like rejoicing during the most troubling times of our lives - may not be the easiest thing to do. But, if we love Him, we have to make the effort to Do what He suggests. I remember when my husband and I were separated, I felt so heartbroken, so rejected, so forsaken, so lonely, so much like nothing... It certainly was not a time to rejoice. I found myself crying all the time when I was alone. But, honestly, I found that the sorrowful feeling departed quickly when I started to recognize that God was always there. I would wake up all hours of the night looking to see if God had abandoned me, but to my delight, He remained faithful. My crying soon turned into more of a brokenness for God and for who He was to me than what I had been going through in the present situation. Therefore, I was learning to Do what God said. I was rejoicing, no matter how little, in my difficulty, because God was with me, and He wasn't going anywhere!
There are many benefits associated with the difficulties. The experiences teach us lessons that help us to achieve victory. We learn how to depend on and trust God more, to respond and not react to situations and people that may drive us to the edge, and I think most importantly, we learn to do things God's way and not our way. The trials build our hope for our expected end. They help us to recall the faithfulness of God that we saw in past experiences when He brought us through. Therefore, we build our faith in who God is, shifting our focus away from the trials. We experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, while the storms of life are still raging. We will learn that we can rest assured that God has not and will not leave us, as so we can delight even in difficulty.
A quintessential benefit too, is that the difficulties help us to grow and mature spiritually. We will see that we move from level to level with God as we begin to develop our relationship with Him. We will truly begin to know Him as the "I AM", whatever we need Him to be in our present situation. He fills us with peace, strength, love and acceptance, whatever we need to ensure we endure to the very end where our victory awaits! We have to seek to persist to get through the tough times without growing weary and giving up, because ENDURANCE has its perfect (without fault) result. Endurance has a thorough (complete, careful not to miss or omit any detail) work to do in us so that we can appreciate the blessing and victory at the end of the trial. Endurance will ensure our development of faith where we will lack nothing, no matter how hard it seems, in the present situation.
My friends, we have to joy in the trials because if we believe in Our God, we believe in His Power and Authority that is more than enough to help us secure the victory in our circumstances. As we endure, we put our faith into action. Endurance is a work of faith in itself that once accomplished, brings us into a new place of spiritual maturity to enjoy the many rewards that await us...
'Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice!'
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