Divine Opportunities

Trials are but opportunities to draw us closer to God. Why is it we shrink from them every single time? When we become uncomfortable with our circumstances we quickly need to find someone to blame and too often God gets the blame. We envision Him punishing us or allowing these difficulties just to wreak havoc on our lives. Then we begin to question our faith. Does God truly love us? After all, why would a loving God allow such pain, suffering, and hardships to come upon us?

In our humanness, we want security and comfort, and there is nothing wrong with that. But we often fail to realize that when things are relatively easy, we get a little too comfortable. “Happy” times do not have near the capacity to change us or draw us closer to God as do “unhappy” times. For reasons known only to God, it is primarily through the hardships and difficulties of life that our character is transformed. Think back on your own life. Although wonderful times may evoke a happy memory, have they really “changed” you for the better? Now think back at a hardship you have gone through. Maybe a difficult relationship tested you to the limit and caused you to seek after God as never before. Maybe you overcame a severe or debilitating illness that gave you a new perspective on life. These are the types of experiences that “grow” us into something larger. They cause us to leave our cozy comfort zones and go places we would not normally desire to go. Our human nature always wants the easy way, the best things, and the quickest routes. For example, we want great health yet often are unwilling to put forth the effort to exercise or eat healthfully. We want the best jobs earning the highest salaries, the newest technological gadgets and material possessions, and even the most satisfying relationships to make our lives relatively easy. We are living in an era of instant gratification. We also desire the quickest possible methods and steps to obtain the greatest results—30 minute meals, 30 minute workouts, 7 steps to a greater life. We frown at long lines in grocery stores and heaven forbid we get caught in a detour while in our vehicles. These little idiosyncrasies all add up to stressors that tip us over the edge!

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring optimal health, nice things, and wonderful friendships, we must guard against becoming negative and faithless when things don’t seem to go the way we planned. The biggest tragedy could very well be allowing the unpleasant circumstances of our lives to cause us to lose our focus. Easier said than done, right? When things get out of balance in our lives we tend to obsess about what is not going right, and forget about all the things that are right. I myself am guilty! It usually takes several days of inward-centeredness before I realize that I am not doing myself any good whatsoever. In fact, inward focus only makes me feel worse. Not until I start to look outside of my little sphere and upward to God that I begin to feel any sense of peace. Then I wonder why it took me so long to focus on Him instead of myself.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1. This psalm tells us that God is with us in our troubles. He does not leave us to figure things out for ourselves. In Psalm 92, He promises to deliver us and honor us. But I do believe that He requires us to come to Him in childlike faith and stop being restless and fretful about all that concerns us. We must refuse to regard these trials as difficulties, but look at them as divine opportunities—opportunities to draw even closer to Jesus and grow into His likeness. It is only when God has deepened us, often through the struggles of life, that He can give us His deeper truths, His profoundest secrets, and His mightiest trusts. Jesus continually beckons us to come and rest in Him and He shall strengthen us. When we abandon ourselves to Him, we will receive the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding.

I do believe that God uses our troubles to teach us valuable lessons. He teaches us about His faithfulness and goodness and asks us to trust that He will work all things for our good. A.B. Simpson said, “There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is to simply try to get rid of it as quickly as possible and then be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of divine grace.” In other words, the very things that seem to be against us actually turn out to be for the furtherance of our way.

So, the next time you go through a testing of some kind, remember that now is the time for you to claim all of God’s promises and walk forward in faith and assurance that He is able to do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine. Everything that concerns you concerns Him, and He promises to work all things out for your good.

Not always OUT of our troublous times,
And the struggles fierce and grim,
But IN—deeper IN—to our sure rest,
The place of our peace, In Him.
Annie Johnson Flint

My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness. 2 Cor 12:9

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Psalm 138:8

In repentance and rest is our salvation; in quietness and trust is our strength. Isaiah 30:15

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

Taken Aside

Taken Aside

There are times in every Christian’s life when his circumstances warrant a question of the Almighty. “What in the world are you up to, Lord? Why is this happening to me and what do you want me to do about it?” No matter how strong you are in the faith, trials and testings will still come. Personally, I am going through one such test right now. After a routine medical procedure, it was discovered that I need to undergo major surgery. While thrilled beyond words that my mass is not cancerous, the reality of what is coming my way is very frightening. I consider myself strong in the faith, yet I must confess that on numerous occasions my emotions have taken on a life of their very own. Confusion, fear, and bewilderment have been constant companions. But so have peace, comfort, and acceptance. Does my faith seem any less genuine if I ask God why He is allowing me to go through this trial? I think not. I have learned over the years that God is indeed a big God and can handle anything I ask of Him. He knows that we are still flesh and blood, weak and wounded, and vulnerable and needy. In fact, I believe He lovingly approves when we come to Him in humility seeking mercy for our every need.

As I pondered on the challenges and trials that come to all of us as earthly inhabitants, God reminded me that He uses these difficult times to grow our faith in ways that nothing else does. I have been so busy lately—totally preoccupied with my very own “to do” list. Many of these are good things, some are urgent, and they demand my utmost attention. God has His own list of things too that He wants to accomplish through me, and yet I realize that there has been little time in my full life to give heed to the more important things. Isn’t it ironic that the urgent always wins over the important? So I had to ask myself, “Could it be that God is shutting me up to faith? Is He allowing some great challenge to isolate me once again unto Himself so that I can fully listen to His soft, still voice? Is He trying to give me a fresh revelation of Himself and remind me of the purposes He has created me for?" My devotions today led me to Mark 7:33, the story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man. For the first time ever, I noticed that Jesus took him aside, away from the crowd, before he healed him. If Jesus chose to heal this man privately, then surely being isolated unto God by whatever means He chooses can be a very good thing!

I believe if we look with the eyes of faith we will see God in every single challenge and situation. Every sickness, every loss, every sorrow, and every disease has to pass through the hands of our loving Father. He does not willingly bring or cause His children heartache, but at times He does allow it. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose.”

Moses was sent away to live for 40 years in the wilderness before He was prepared to do God’s work. He was an 80 year old, faith-filled man before God was ready for him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Paul and Silas, zealous for God, were locked up in prison with their feet in stocks waiting expectantly for deliverance. Even in their darkest hours, in the solitude of their captivity, they sang praises to God. The aging disciple John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he was left to die. Yet it was in this isolated place where he received the glorious visions of God, and thereafter wrote the book of Revelation. During these seemingly dark and confusing times God was mightily at work. Their faith was being tested and proved genuine as they expectantly waited for God to work on their behalf. I believe that is our solution also. Rather than continuously question why these things are happening to us, why not expend our energy by renewing our focus on Jesus? We must always remember that He remains in control, no matter how out of control our lives may seem. May we look for the hand of God in all our circumstances, and then fix our eyes on Jesus in full assurance that He is actively interceding on our behalf. He promises to never leave or forsake us. We must continue to believe that He indeed is working all things together for our good, and that there will be blessings and deeper revelations of God that will come to us as well as others that never could have otherwise. Our job is to surrender all of our cares to Him and trust Him wholeheartedly. He can handle the rest.

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14

"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7