But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.–Job 23:14

The trials of time were appointed in eternity.—- Nothing ever happens to us by ‘chance’.

Our little trials,
our great troubles,
our heavy crosses,
our painful losses —
are all a part of God’s plan!

Nor did He plan afflictions for us merely haphazardly — He planned them because He saw that we needed them. He intended to make them rich blessings to us.

Every cross is a mercy,
every loss is a gain,
every trouble is a blessing,
and every trial is a seed of joy!

We shall be better in the future — for what we suffer now. If we sow in tears — we shall reap in joy. A wet spring will introduce a glorious harvest. Many of our present tears will crystallize into pearls — and will be an ornament to us in glory!

And not only so, but the same love that planned our trials — also provides strength to bear them. Our choicest comforts will flow from them. Time reveals what God planned in eternity — and eternity will reveal what God had in view in all the trials of time!

Let us, then, bear our afflictions with patience and seek grace to honor God in all that we suffer, as well as by all that we do. If we keep our eye fixed on glorifying God — He will order and arrange everything that happens to us so that it shall work for our good. Nothing shall by any means hurt us. The darkest clouds shall bring showers of blessings; and our sharpest pains shall only introduce us to the sweetest joys!

Gracious Lord, help me not only to submit to Your appointments, but to be pleased with them — so pleased that if the turning of a straw would alter them — I would not turn it! Oh, give me grace — to rejoice in my afflictions!– Copied

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.– 1 Thessalonians 3:3

“Then shalt thou walk in thy way of safety, and thy foot shall not stumble”   (Proverbs 3:23). That is to say, if we follow the ways of wisdom and holiness we shall be preserved in them. He who travels by daylight along the highway is under some protection. There is a way for every man, namely, his own proper calling in life, and if we devoutly walk therein in the fear of God He will preserve us from evil. We may not travel luxuriously, but we shall walk safely. We may not be able to run like young men, but we shall be able to walk like good men.

Our greatest danger lies in ourselves: our feeble foot is so sadly apt to stumble. Let us ask for more moral strength that our tendency to slip may be overcome. Some stumble because they do not see the stone in the way: divine grace enables us to perceive sin and so to avoid it. Let us plead this promise and trust in Him who upholds His chosen.

Alas! Our worst peril is our own carelessness, but against this the LORD Jesus has put us on our guard, saying, “Watch and pray.”

Oh, for grace to walk this day without a single stumble! It is not enough that we do not actually fall; our cry should be that we may not make the smallest slip with out feet but may at the last adore Him “who is able to keep us from stumbling.” –Faith’s Checkbook

“His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.” – John 2:5

We must obey whether we can understand or not. When Jesus was at the wedding in Cana, the servants had no way of knowing what Jesus was going to do. It might have seemed silly to them to fill pots with water. But Jesus’ mother gave them some very wise advice that we would do well to heed: “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”

It wasn’t a matter of whether they understood it or not, just that He told them to do it. The same Jesus who turned water into wine can transform your home, can transform your life, can transform your family, can transform your future. That same Jesus is still in the miracle working business. His business is the business of transformation. 

Someone has well said that nature forms us, sin deforms us, the penitentiary reforms us, education informs us, the world conforms us, but only Jesus transforms us. 

A lot of times your mind is going to say, “Well, that’s old fashioned,” or “That doesn’t make sense.” Never come to the Bible that way. Never parade the Bible across the judgment bar of your reason. Whatever He says to you, do it.– Adrian Rogers

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises- – –  2 Peter 1:4
Trouble comes to all without exception, and often without expectation, explanation, or escape. Tragedy strikes, fear follows,heartache comes, tears flow, anger arises, and we find ourselves in a sad situation. We want things to be different, but we can’t change or control what has happened. We grieve and wonder if we can ever laugh again. We search for answers, but find none. We ask God, but He isn’t talking. So we wonder—oh how we wonder- – ” Why?” It is then more than ever that we must cling to the precious promises of God. Writing to his congregation in 1846, James Smith said:

“The promises of Scriptures are the promises of the great God; they are all of free grace; they are confirmed by the blood of Jesus; and are exceeding great and very precious. They are so plain that a child can understand them; and so great that no angel could fulfil them. There is such a variety that they meet every case; and such a fulness that they include every want. They are breasts of consolation for the poor, tried, and distressed believer; and are the strength and support of every child of God. They are our plea at the throne of grace, our confidence in the hour of trail, and our rejoicing in prospect of death. Beloved, God’s promises are to be your daily comfort: it is for you to search them out, store them up, believe them, trust in them, plead them, and be assured of their fulfilment, because “He is faithful who promised.” The promises are more precious than gold or silver; sweeter than honey or the honey-comb; more lasting than the earth; and more stable than the pillars of heaven. Let us think of them, plead them, and expect their fulfilment today; our God is a faithful God, keeping covenant and mercy unto a thousand generations.”

Praise to the goodness of the Lord,
Who rules His people by His word;
And there as strong as His decrees,
He sets His kindest promises.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Romans 12:15

A mother sent her little girl to a neighbor’s house down the street one afternoon to get a toy she had left there. Thinking it would only take her about 10 minutes, the mom became concerned when her daughter hadn’t returned after about 30 minutes.

So the mom stepped outside to look down the street to see if she saw her daughter. Sure enough, the little girl was on her way back. “What took you so long?” the mom asked.

“I’m sorry mom. When I got to the house, my friend had broken her doll and she was crying. So I helped her fix it.”

“Well, what did you do to fix it?” questioned the mom.

The little girl responded, “I cried with her. And now it’s all better.”

That’s exactly what a lot of folks need today… not someone who can be Mr. or Mrs. Fix-it and put the pieces back together. They need someone who will grieve with them first. They need someone who will take time out of his or her schedule to empathize.

Be that person for someone else. Take time to share grief and bear burdens together. That’s what it really means to love one another through pain. (Daily Word).