“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” Daniel 3:25 (NLT) Some of us have read this story so many times that we’ve become inured to the test of faith Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego underwent. So let’s revisit this passage of Scripture. …
Tag Archives: trials
Pearls
God allows ‘irritants’ to enter our lives so that we might grow, develop perseverance, and mature in our faith. He could prevent them, shield us from harm, and heal every disease. But God is more focused on the eternal than the here and now. Our difficulties are evidence that God is refining us. He loves us too much to leave us as we are.
Of Wheelchairs and Woes
A trouble-free life has never been a part of God’s promise to us. Peter makes that abundantly clear when he says, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). What He did promise is that we will not be overcome and will never walk through trials alone (Isaiah 43:1-2).
God’s Good Purposes
This is a game-changer for those of us who are in Christ; our trials, big and small, are evidence that God is working in us and through us. Though our definition of good may exclude pain and suffering, God’s definition of good includes every detail of our lives that He uses to strengthen our spiritual character and highlight His sovereign power.
A Broken Heart
Spiritual hope hangs on amid trials, resting in God’s promise that one day the purpose of all of our joys and struggles will be revealed and we will experience that ultimate “aha!” moment. God will take each tear, each ache, and each sorrow, and weave it into a masterpiece.