The Treasure In Your Trial

I Peter 4:12,13 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.

Wow! I don't know where to begin on this one but I just want to share my heart with you today. As some knew, I had a health situation diagnosed about 4 years ago that demanded surgery. I decided not to have it because I wanted to be such a great woman of faith and stand on God's Word believing Him for complete healing. A few years went by, and I still believed yet my situation did not seem to get better. But I was at the point where I felt if I changed my decision that it would be like going backward with God instead of going to another level of faith which is what I desired. But did you know that it takes an even greater amount of faith to put your life into the hands of people? I mean...think about it. We already know Nothing is Impossible With God and we already know that He is a Healer so we already have the faith to believe. The greater faith is to choose to Trust in God while placing your life into another person's hands knowing God will be there through it all.

Okay, let me go on. I've had the surgery which I must say has been the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life thus far and personally I still do not see it's purpose knowing that God could have just simply healed me. My thoughts were, “Why would a Father choose this painful experience over an instantaneous healing? What kind of Father would want their child to have to go through such excruciating pain?” Sad to say, I was disappointed...in God for not giving the instantaneous healing and in me, because I felt I was not that great woman of faith after all.

But then...God began to show me the Treasures in My Trial.

When we look at our trial unfolding in front of us, it feels terrible and we tend to think that things will never get better. It gets very overwhelming. But then after the trial is over, that is when we are able to see God's purpose behind the trial.

A man wrote once that his definition for hope was: physically, you're in front of your trial, but spiritually you are looking back at it – after it's over, when all is well and when you have overcome.

In other words, Hope is taking on God's perspective. You look at your trial the way God looks at it. If you are on my subscription list and get my writings through email, you just recently read my devotional titled, A Divine Perspective. We need to see things from God's view.

If you are in a trial now, I want you to have hope. Your storm will pass. Your pain will disappear. Your situation will be turned around for the good. And your trial will turn into a triumph because if you look hard enough, you will always find the treasure in your trial.

The Treasures in My Trial

Our trials can be such ugly things yet beautiful treasures can be found:

Comfort: God is always there to comfort you in your trial, no matter how you are feeling about Him OR your situation at that time. It's His Promise and He never breaks a promise. God has shown me comfort through friends who have been with me through this time which I am grateful but feel sad because I have not been there for them as I should be. God gave me a wonderful Doctor who I felt very comfortable with the minute I met her. I am thankful to her and her medical team. This has helped me gain a trust for doctors that I did not have which I think was because of things my mom went through before she passed. But I remember when they were taking me in for surgery, I asked, “You all believe in God, don't you?” One girl says “Absolutely!” And went on to say she was a Christian. The young man stated that his gifts in the medical field were given to him from God. So my last words I remember saying was, “Okay then, we're all set!”

I had a friend visit me after surgery who was a great comfort to me. He reminded that no matter what we go through, decisions we make that may be the right ones or the wrong ones, that as long as we have that assurance that God loves us, we have everything we need and everything is going to be okay. God will always love us. His love will never change. And that in it self gives me the peace of mind that I need. (Thanks Kyle)

And I am truly blessed and comforted just knowing I have a husband and a son who is there for me when I need them. Even though there are times that I have failed to be what I should be for my family, they have never once failed me. I am forever grateful!

I'm truly rich because of my family, friends and medical staff who were there for me.

Character: I've met some wonderful people who have come through some tragic things and I'm sure you have too and we wonder how they are still going, but instead they are a much stronger person. My mother went through so much and I used to see her as weak but now, to me she was one of the strongest ladies I know to endure all that she did in her life and still always be the happy person she was around her friends and family and even strangers.

I believe that trials have a way of making us grow in the most important part of who we are – our character.

Compassion: This one is important because a trial may give birth to a ministry

The Bible says, Blessed be...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort that we ourselves are comforted by God. (I Corinthians 1:3-4)

During your trial, God reaches out to you, touches you and heals you in many ways you can't imagine at the time. And your joy even returns. This third treasure in your trial is a deeper compassion for people who are going through the same pain you went through.

If you are going through a hard trial now, just remember that one day, your problem in your life will be solved. Every sickness will be healed and every tear will be dried up. So discover your treasure in your trial. If you have not found it yet, be watching for it because it will be there just waiting to be discovered by you.

I Peter 1:7-8 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

 So...yes, I most definitely experienced much COMFORT from God, friends, family and strangers.  No, I do not yet know God's Purpose for this trial, but I know He is already working on my CHARACTER through it all.  I have chosen to apply Proverbs 3:5.6 to my daily life. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  Is there a ministry being birthed through this trial?  I believe so because I most definitely have developed a deeper COMPASSION and can relate to others who go through similar pain and I can't wait to see what God has planned for me.

When things do not happen the way  you wanted them to, always continue to put your Trust in God in the situation. There will be many things you don't understand but you can't lean on your own understanding, and no matter what happens, no matter the results, just acknowledge God in them with the assurance that He took care of it the way it should have and he will continue to guide you.

Be blessed,

Connie

A Divine Perspective

God has a reason for everything that happens in our life.  Instead of us getting all upset when trials come our way, we need to seek God and continue to stand on His Word.  I used to let my emotions rule much of my life and ended up making wrong decisions, but now I continue to stand on God's Word no matter the circumstance.  Now I look to God and strive to see things from His perspective.

No one escapes the storms of life.  However, if we choose to take advantage of our personal storms, believing God through them, we will rise in faith above the world's darkest storms.  We are made aware that each storm brings promotion and each storm has its reward.  We learn to rest and soar on the winds of His Presence and relax our faith as we let Him carry us to a warmer place.

True freedom comes from the inside out.  I remember always wondering why God would allow certain things to happen and why he chose not to stop them or change them.  But then I realized that just because there were many trials, this did not mean that God was not working in my life.  I realized that the Spirit of God was continually guiding me and always pulling me into a closer relationship with Him.  When I did go through things, God always turned it around for the good by teaching me something.  I realized that my wrong reactions to situations were based on my emotions.

Yes, emotions are a natural part of being human, but emotions were never meant to rule or anchor our life on earth.  That role is reserved for God's Word because it never changes or fails.

When pain, rejection or disappointment threatens to overwhelm you, are you tempted to go by how you feel about your problems and yourself?  Don't fall for it!  Go by what God says about you and your situation!  Things are not always as they seem.  God does not want us down looking up.  He wants us up looking down.  He wants us soaring above our circumstances.

Worship Him and take your seat in His Presence during hard times.  Worship opens the door for the light of heaven to flood our life and circumstances.  His light is the way of heaven to flood truth behind the circumstances.  Spread your wings of worship so you can soar high enough to take your seat beside Him and look out the portals of heaven.  Get a God's view and divine perspective of your situation.

Connie Schmoll