Well, we’ve come to the end of our Thanksgiving series on God and Our Trials. Friend, I don’t know where you are in your life and what circumstances you find yourself in, but I hope you have found comfort in understanding the good that will come from the hard times of life and in knowing our Heavenly Father is still in control.
It has taken me a long time to learn how to take comfort and be thankful for my trials. Although I had a firm grasp on God’s sovereignty, I pouted and threw a fair share of pity parties. I don’t think I persevered so well in the beginning but as God opened my eyes to teach me what I needed to learn, I found my attitudes changing more towards acceptance of what came from God’s hand. I felt acceptance usher in the ability to embrace the trials and not take offense to the difficulties I was facing and a wife and momma.
As time went on, the Lord began to show me the privilege of partaking in Christ’s suffering and I’ve just begun to unpack that concept. I’m discovering there’s a whole others-based realm to our trials and suffering. I just read a devotional by Oswald Chambers on how God provides a way for us to minister to others because of and through our trials.
All your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique. Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints.
Oswald Chambers
That just blew me away when I read that. Apparently our trials and suffering are multi-faceted and have both a vertical and horizontal purpose. More on that another day, though!
But the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is that we can be thankful for our trials. Thankful that no matter how bad things get, God in his sovereignty is still in control. Thankful that God in His providence is maturing us to be more like Jesus. Thankful that God, in His love is drawing us closer to Him.
Being thankful for our trials comes through embracing His sovereignty, providence and love. We become thankful when we have come to a place of complete trust in Him.
When we experience trials, it’s because He loves us enough to be actively vested in our lives. He cares enough to shape and mold us, growing is to maturity in Him. That truth can be just what we need to shift our perspective from inward pity to outward praise. Even in the trials, God provides a way to be joyful and full of hope.
And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
How great is the Father’s love for us and what care He takes in training us!
Thanks for joining me on the journey this month. I pray that you were blessed and encouraged on your life’s path wherever you are walking.
Now, it’s your turn! This Thanksgiving, I am most thankful for God’s sovereignty. Which attribute of God, His sovereignty, providence or love, are you most thankful for right now?
If you missed any in this Thanksgiving series of God and Our Trials, you can catch up here:
God and Our Trials
God’s Sovereignty and Our Trials
God’s Providence and Our Trials
God’s Love and Our Trials
We Can Be Thankful for Our Trials
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