Have you ever found yourself asking God “Why me”? (because you truly wish He had picked somebody else for this struggle!) Have you ever begged God to take you out of a trial because it was too scary or painful? Of course you have! We all have! Let me throw you a life preserver of hope, today!
The other day, I felt like He was telling me to stop praying my way OUT of difficult things and to start praying my way THROUGH them! (This can be a current struggle you are facing, or pain from your past that He wants to help you process.) You see, the Bible doesn’t pull any punches regarding trials and tribulations. It doesn’t say “you might have a couple, but don’t worry…they’ll be tiny.” It says you WILL have trials and tribulations! And you know what else it says? “Count it all joy when you face trials of every kind.”
Maybe you are like I have always been, stomping your foot, saying, “But I don’t wanna count it all joy!” I’ve known that verse for years, and it always seemed very tongue in cheek. But it’s NOT, my friends! It’s to comfort and encourage us! You see, we don’t face one single thing in this life that hasn’t first been filtered through the very fingertips of the Almighty God! Not only does He know what’s going to come at us, but He has already gone ahead of us, into it! He also says that not one trial will be wasted!
This morning, God brought this to my heart! What if we allow our trials, the icky things of life that we would NEVER choose, to become tools in the hands of the Master Carpenter, who longs to build new in places where the old is in ruins?
God has created in me a heart of compassion for ministering to mommies! Maybe it’s through music, or book writing, or videos, or speaking…I’m not sure yet. Jeremiah 29:11 says that He knows the plans He has for us…and they are good ones, no matter what we think or see in our flesh! What He showed me this morning was, not only is He going to use my trials to strengthen ME, but that part of the reason He allowed MY trials, is to bring a healing balm to the hearts of moms who are struggling or have struggled in the same ways! It is humbling to know that God loves you and I so much that He provides purpose in our pain and allows it to minister to the pain of others, that few people are equipped to minister.
What are you hanging onto this morning, wishing it would go away or wishing you could process past pain? Can you hand it over to God and ask Him what He wants to do with it? I have come to realize that “why me” isn’t a bad question to ask God if it’s in the right spirit. If it’s whiny and complaining, then yes, we need a heart change. However, if it’s, “Ok, God…what purpose do you have in this trial? How do you want to grow me or equip me to minister to others, in this trial”, then I think it’s a perfect question to ask. Sometimes, it isn’t the circumstances we face that trip us up, but the way in which we see, process, and navigate those circumstances!
Lord, Jesus, we come this morning to ask you to change our hearts. Help us to count it all joy when we face trials. Help us grow and seek you and glorify you in the mucky parts of life! Help us ask how we can bless and strengthen and encourage others, because of what you’ve allowed into our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Love this Denise! Great words of encouragement!