Life difficulties are unavoidable and being a follower of Jesus does not exempt us from troubles. Our Lord however assures us, He will help us endure. And we can count on Him to bring us through our troubles once His purposes are realized.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:1-2
His purposes for allowing trials into our lives may be to make us stronger in faith. It could also be to lovingly discipline us and keep our eyes focused on Him. His aim could also be to make us more compassionate towards those who are struggling.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4
Whatever His end goal may be, may we continue to trust in Him. That He is a God who has mapped out our lives for us, and that He only has good plans for us. And no matter how hard we may have struggled, may we be courageous enough to tell others how He has carried us through our ordeal. So that in our testimony, others may know Him, and find hope in His name.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:4-6
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 1 Peter 2:21-25 and 1 Peter 4:19 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you ever wonder why God allows troubles into your life? Have you come face to face to the reality that troubles are a part of life, but we can look upon our Savior to save us from all these?Â
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to go through life with you by my side. Thank you for rescuing me from my sins, helping me learn through the consequences that I would have to face, and holding my hands through it all. Thank you for testing me to make me mature in faith and to make me more compassionate to others. Thank you for molding me one day at a time to be more like you, Amen. Â