“The Lord trieth the righteous….” – Psalms 11:5
Looking back over the week, we have considered God’s partnership in our afflictions, the need for patience, fixing our focus, and changing our choices. Now, as an aid to being triumphant over our trials, we need to consider that they are sent by God, and therefore must serve a good purpose. We don’t need to know the reason– just knowing there is a reason, a good reason, should be enough to satisfy our inquiring mind. Concerning this matter, James Smith wrote:

“Where the Lord gives grace, He always tries it; therefore His own people must expect to pass through the fire. He will try our faith, of what sort it is; our love, of what strength it is. He will also try our patience and our constancy.

Let us not therefore be surprised at trials, nor let us be discouraged by them; for He tries out of pure love, with the best design, according to a wise rule, and at the fittest season.

He considers our frame, our circumstances, and our foes; He does nothing rashly or unkindly. He would not put us to pain if we did not need it; trials are preservatives or restoratives; they keep us back from evil, or are intended to bring us out of evil into which we have fallen.

Thy trials then are from the Lord; His wisdom selected, His love appointed, and His providence brings them about. If you ask, “Why, Lord, am I tried thus?” the answer is, “To humble thee, and to prove thee, and to do thee good at thy latter end.” Receive every trial as from God, and go to Him for strength to bear it, grace to sanctify it, and deliverance from it; and so all will be well. It is not for His pleasure, but for your profit, that you are so tried.”

Often the clouds of deepest woe,
A sweet love-message bear;
Dark though they seem, we cannot find
A frown of anger there.

You can’t always change your circumstances, but you can change your choices. As a Christian you can chose how you respond to them. Choose wisely. The world is what it is—pitiful, but we can’t change it. As much as I might detest the corruption of the world and desire it to be different, the only person I can change by direct action is me. And how I deal with things I can’t change speaks volumes about my character.

Living in a place such as this, we can always think of something that will make us mad, sad, and bad. But, if we are Christians we can also think of things that will make us glad. That’s an option the world does not have. And since we are commanded to “Rejoice in the Lord alway” (Phil. 4:4) we should be doing just that. The happiness I find in the Lord cannot be taken from me, regardless of what others do to me, I lose it only if I surrender it. So, I am the only person who can truly determine whether I will be sad or glad. But, even then, I am sure to make the wrong choice unless I surrender myself fully unto the Lord. It is only when I yield myself to God that I am delivered from the weakness of my flesh and enabled to think clearly and choose wisely. And, due to this possibility I never have an excuse for my failure. If I appropriate what God makes available I can conquer any foe and endure anything God allows in my life—even when it hurts.

Now with that being said, let me share with you what it was that prompted these comments. The basis for what I said is found in 2 Cor. 12:9-10-“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.“

If we truly believe, as we claim, that strength comes out of weakness, sanctification comes out of suffering, beauty out of ashes, all things work together for good, and God’s grace is sufficient for every situation–why do we complain? Is not the fact that we complain an evidence that we need what we’ve got? Would it not be pride that causes us to think we deserve more, bigger, and better than what we have? I don’t enjoy pain and problems any more than you do and I complain more than I should, but I know that sometimes what I need is not the same as what I want and that God is wiser than I. When I say “He doeth all things well” I need to remember that is true regardless of my circumstances. The grace of God doesn’t banish my pain, but it helps me bear it and benefit from it. Regardless of how well we live, God doesn’t promise to exempt us from trials, but He does enable us to endure them. How then can I not “Rejoice in the Lord alway“(Phil. 4:4)? I fail far more than I should, but I have no one to blame but myself. Hopefully I can practice what I preach. As my friend Matt says, “I’m working on it”.

Everyone has problems, some more than others. Strangely enough some of the best people have the worst problems. But, have you ever thought about the possibility of that being one of the reasons why they are among the “best” people? Let that sink in. It happens. Problems can make us bitter or better. As you’ve heard before– the same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay. The same fire that consumes the wood, refines the gold.

Life is just as unfair and difficult for others, at least for some, as it is for you. Some handle it worse than you and some handle it better, but everyone makes a choice in how they will handle it. And, that determines whether they will be miserable or merry– but it is their choice. No one can force us to go one direction or another–it is our decision. Sadly, most people take the wrong path— a path of self destruction. Why?

One of the main reasons for our poor choices has to do with what we focus on. Even the strongest/best person will eventually go astray if they start focusing on the wrong things. If we constantly focus on the negatives our outlook will become worse and worse. That’s why depression is dangerous. For many folks, depression becomes an obsession. They dwell on the things they despise and that causes them to descend lower and lower into the pit of depression, until they are imprisoned by it.

Deliverance from that horrible pit doesn’t come until they see that their fall, faults, and failure are determined by what they focus on. That day is the beginning of the end of their misery. If you are a Bible believer you have to believe that. This is exactly what we see in Heb. 12:1-3. By “Looking unto Jesus” (vs. 2) we are enabled to endure even the greatest difficulties in life. As we “consider Him” we are able to over come weariness and kept from “fainting” (vs. 3). It is obvious from this that what we focus on is our choice and our destiny is determined by our decision. What will you decide? Moses endured by “seeing Him who is invisible”–where is focus?

” Be ye also patient ; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh .”. – James 5:8

Our God is a God of patience. The Lord Jesus is the great Example of patience. The Holy Spirit is the Agent producing patience. Trials, troubles, and disappointments, are the means which exercise and strengthen it.

The patience required, is a disposition to bear all that God has appointed for us, without complaining; yea, with resignation and hope: to wait God’s time for the mercies we need, or for answers to the prayers we put up. Patience is the daughter of faith; and it is only as we believe that God has appointed, overrules, or commands, for our good and His glory, that we can be patient.

Patience produces self-possession, shuts the mouth from complaining, keeps back the heart from seeking revenge, and is a principal point in self-government. Are you impatient? Then confess it, and mourn over it, before God; it will make you miserable, and lead you to dishonour God. Watch against it; the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Look at the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, at Jesus; and be ye also patient. “In your patience possess ye your souls.” “Be patient, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” –Copied

O for Thy grace to aid us on,
And arm with fortitude the breast,
Till, life’s tumultuous voyage o’er,
We reach the shores of heavenly rest!

“In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them: and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.”– Isa  63:9.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. There is the affliction of ill-health, which compels us to stand aside and leave our tasks to others. The languor of sleepless nights, the inactivity and loneliness of the long days, the fear of being burdensome to others. The anxiety as to how this or that interest may fare in inexperienced hands. The sense of helplessness and weakness. These are the ingredients of that cup which many have to drink!

There is the affliction of poverty, when every door seems closed against our appeal; when hundreds of applicants are answering the same advertisement; when the cruse of oil has been drained of its last drop, and the barrel scraped bare; when the rent is overdue, the boots are wearing out in vain journeys, and the faces and clothes of the children begin to tell the tale of privation–then the iron seems to enter our soul!

There is the affliction of uncongenial companionship. “Woe to them that sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar!” To how many the Psalmist’s words would express their precise position: “My soul hath long dwelt with him who hateth peace; I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.” There is even profounder suffering, when man or woman is mated for life with one who is out of Christ, or is the one Christian disciple in an irreligious family. It was with a deep knowledge of human nature that the Apostle urged his converts not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

There is also the affliction of temptation. Jealousy, pride, discontent, self-will–these assail us from without, and too often they find a response from within, as though there were an accomplice in hiding.

Such are some of the problems and afflictions which darken our experience. The mistake is that we face our troubles without God’s fellowship, consciously realised. We carry our burdens, without casting them upon the Lord, and claiming the grace which waits to help us in our hour of need. We do not realise that He has come down to deliver us, because He knows our sorrows. In all our afflictions He is afflicted.

O God, we have no help but Thine, nor do we need another arm save Thine to lean upon. Teach us how to gain strength from Thee hour by hour,—- that strength which Thou hast stored for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.–F B Meyer