Hey there. I just finish the book, "Trials, don't resent them as intruders" by Juanita Purcell. It was a great 12 lesson devotional book, and in the last weeks I have been sharing with you my notes from those devotionals. I will be posting the rest of the lessons, since I started it.
Now, I am starting, a different devotional book by Juanita Purcell also tithle "How to deal with those difficult ones". Will let you know how it goes. :) Now I will share lesson 5 from "Trials..."
Lesson 5: Giving thanks to God for our trials
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Auch!! Now that is a hard one. So, not only we have to be learning from our trials knowing that God knows best for us, and be joyful through them, but we also have to thank God for those trials..
It is difficult, but God not only says that we need to do it, but that it is His will. Is God asking us for something that is impossible? God can and will give us the grace we need to do what He is asking us to do.
In 1 Th 5:18 and Eph 5:20 God tells us why to be thankful (it is His will) and how to do it (in the name of Jesus).
How can we be strong enough to do so? Phil 4:13 -I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Usually it is easier for us to be thankful once the trials have passed. But it is not so easy when we are in the middle of them. Our feelings of pain, suffering, hurt, get in the way. Sometimes we may not feel thankful but we still have to do it. Just like when we are having problems with someone or you are even angry with someone, we have to pray for them, because it helps us to heal our hearts. If when we are suffering we praise God, God can use that to heal us, and slowly it will help us to go through that trial with a different attitude.
In 1 Th 5:18 and Eph 5:20 God tells us why to be thankful (it is His will) and how to do it (in the name of Jesus).
How can we be strong enough to do so? Phil 4:13 -I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Usually it is easier for us to be thankful once the trials have passed. But it is not so easy when we are in the middle of them. Our feelings of pain, suffering, hurt, get in the way. Sometimes we may not feel thankful but we still have to do it. Just like when we are having problems with someone or you are even angry with someone, we have to pray for them, because it helps us to heal our hearts. If when we are suffering we praise God, God can use that to heal us, and slowly it will help us to go through that trial with a different attitude.
Psa 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing
It is an act of faith to thank God for those trials. We praise Him for what we know of Him (that He loves us) instead of what we can see (the trial).
God loves us and He tells us in His Word that He has taken the task of taking care of us completely. Is 43:2, Mt 10:29-31, Job 23:14, Rom.8:31,37-39. Everything that touches my life is planned or permitted by God.
“For the children of God, everything comes directly from the hand of the Father… It could be that the difficulty we are going through is the reaping of a sin; for that matter, this situation in itself cannot be call the will of God; but when it reaches us it turns into the will of God and has to be received and if it came from Him…. If God is with us, it doesn’t matter who is against us: nothing can hurt us unless He allows it because it would be the best for us”—(Translated from the book)
When we are going through a trial, we must pray that the will of God may be done in our lives.
God loves us and He tells us in His Word that He has taken the task of taking care of us completely. Is 43:2, Mt 10:29-31, Job 23:14, Rom.8:31,37-39. Everything that touches my life is planned or permitted by God.
“For the children of God, everything comes directly from the hand of the Father… It could be that the difficulty we are going through is the reaping of a sin; for that matter, this situation in itself cannot be call the will of God; but when it reaches us it turns into the will of God and has to be received and if it came from Him…. If God is with us, it doesn’t matter who is against us: nothing can hurt us unless He allows it because it would be the best for us”—(Translated from the book)
When we are going through a trial, we must pray that the will of God may be done in our lives.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is it so hard for us to see trials as blessings?
Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
When we are going through life, whatever it is bringing us at that time, we need to remember that we are not object without value for God. We are very especial to Him. When we are going through it, we need to remember that He is still with us, working on us, making us pure as gold.
3 comments:
I definately will be doing this book for our ladies meetings as soon as I finish the book we are on. Really a good one to apply. Tough, but good! A lot of the ladies are going through tough times or have gone through them as you know. thank you for sharing.
BTW.. .Gonna miss you guys for Thanksgiving! Come to think of it Gonna miss everyone!
Pilar,
We've not been to your church, but we've been in a meeting with Bro. Allison. A missions conf in Arkansas. My husband played golf with him. But we weren't able to get a meeting with him.
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