Trials and hard times are part of life. In fact, they are an important part of life. Yet, we desperately try to avoid any kind of pain, and when the difficult times come we frantically search for the nearest exit. I have discovered that the most beautiful life is often the most broken life. The ashes of death may very well be the fertile soil from which a new life of victory and promise will grow. God is forever covering each pain with His infinite love and mercy, bringing hope and encouragement where there was once only despair and death. We simply need to remember who God really is – the God of all comfort and compassion.
2 Corinthians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort!”
God stands ready to comfort His broken-hearted child. He longs to wrap His arms of love around us and bring the peace and comfort only He can give. In every trial, God is with us and for us. Some trials come as the result of sin and frail humanity while others come because we are Christians, striving to live a life of obedience to God. However, the reality is that all trials come with God’s permission. Paul writes that God “comforts us every time we have trouble.” In this verse, “trouble” literally means “narrow, confined or under pressure.” Paul paints the picture of being hemmed in to the point that the only place to look for help was up. For the believer, everything is a divine appointment. What we call “dis-appointment” is really “His-appointment.” Trials accompany faith and are a test, a measurement of growth given to see if the learner can pass … not pass out! Faith is always tested for a reason.
James 1:2-3 “My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.”
Trouble strengthens our faith and builds endurance, the ability to stay under the load. We have a loving Father who is committed to building the character of His Son in us. His love wants what is best for us, not what is easiest.
Shallow love rescues easily and quickly. Real love walks with us through the trial. We don’t know exactly what trials Paul endured, but there were bad enough to make Paul think he was going to die. Still, God loved Paul, protected him and controlled the circumstances, using them for His glory and Paul’s ultimate good.
1 Peter 1:6 “So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure.”
God wants us to trust Him in the trials of life, even when we do not understand, even when it makes no sense, even when there seems to be no explanation.
Isaiah 55: 8-9 “The Lord says, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
You see, it is easy to have faith and to trust God when the wind is still, the waters are calm and the nets are full of fish, but the true measure of our faith is in the midst of the howling storm. His comfort is best realized when our pain is strongest. The darker it gets, the brighter His light shines. We may be down, girlfriend, but we are never out because God is the Shepherd of every valley, Lord of every storm and Friend of the wounded heart.
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