What is God’s will in our suffering?
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When Life Falls Apart
by
Warren W. Wiersbe
Part 2
Trials test the genuineness of our faith in God.
Will we turn away from God in our suffering, or will we draw near to Him? Do we worship Him for His blessings, or do we worship Him unconditionally in all circumstances?
We realize our true character by how we respond to suffering. Some of us run away, some become paralyzed in fear, and others push back. But all of these responses reveal a fundamental lack of trust in God and His sovereign purpose.
It’s when we surrender that relief comes.
We cannot have God’s peace or divine strength if we are running from Him or resisting Him. But when we let go of all that we’re hanging onto and hold on to God, He transforms our suffering into glory.
Jesus suffered. He surrendered Himself to the cross with full knowledge of the pain and horror He was about to go through. He identifies with our anguish, and we will know Him in the fellowship of His suffering. (Philippians 3:10)
God never asks us to suffer in vain. #TheHeartoftheAuthor #podcast Click To TweetWith God there is always purpose.
Jesus didn’t suffer and die in vain, and neither will we if we submit fully to God and allow Him to redeem us in our suffering. It can be incredibly painful, but this is what makes us mature in our faith so we will trust Him in the storms and glorify Him in our weakness.
God didn’t remove Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” It was meant to keep him from being prideful. So, how do you pray when God isn’t removing your difficult circumstances, and you want to be obedient and remain in His will? Pray that your suffering won’t be wasted. Pray until what you want aligns with what God wants. Declare who your God is, and pray for His glory to be revealed in your suffering.
Then, when you’re in the fiery furnace of suffering, when the heat is turned up, and the impurities rise to the surface, God will strip them out leaving only the pure precious metal. And your faith will come forth as gold.
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