Tag: tribulations

Can Suffering in This World Be Really a Blessing?

 

“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. Daniel 11:33-35 (NIV)

 

Trials, tribulations, turmoil all seem a part of life. Those who teach the gospel throughout the world are certainly not exempt from this. Indeed, there are many places in the world where worshipping Jesus Christ may result in torture, death, and loss of everything this earth offers. This is not new to our generation. This has been the story throughout the ages as God drew to Himself a people who would worship Him, a people to be His own. Our journey through a world broken and ravaged by pride, self-exaltation, and all the sins of a humanity where each person desires to be “god” in their own life; certainly will be filled with trials. Particularly, those trials will be greater for those who seek after God. The humble servant’s heart that would serve God in a sense goes completely against human nature. It is no wonder that the message of Salvation by Grace Alone is a message hated by pride filled men and women.

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How to Have Joy and Hope By Understanding Truth

At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore, consider the matter, and understand the vision: “Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy. Daniel 9: 23-24 NKJV

There are times when we are fervently in prayer that we long to know the answer. We want to know that our feeble cries have been heard. We want to know that God not only hears; but, acts on our behalf. How comforting to read these words, “at the beginning of your supplications the command went out.” There was no delay in God commanding his angel Gabriel to go and reveal to Daniel that his prayers had been heard. There is no delay in God hearing our cries either. What was the first words from his lips, “I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved”. Greatly beloved. Are those not the sweetest words to our ears when we are facing trials? To know that I am greatly beloved by God. I am His Beloved Child! Secondly, the angel said, “consider the matter and understand the vision.” Perhaps the second greatest words when in the middle of the storms of life. God comes to comfort, to guide, and to help us understand the trial. Note, Gabriel did not immediate remove Daniel from captivity nor the people; but, he did come to help Daniel see the bigger picture. The gospel story that would come. He also helped Daniel to see the final victorious end of the story.

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HOW TO ACTUALLY REJOICE IN HOPE WHILE FACING TRIBULATIONS

HOW TO ACTUALLY REJOICE IN HOPE WHILE FACING TRIBULATIONS

Rejoice in hope while facing tribulations? How can that even be possible? Yet, that is precisely what Paul and Peter called us to. In the midst of our darkest moments, we are told to do just that. Yet, without at least a glimmer of hope; how does anyone get up and even put one foot in front of the other to face the day? Without a glimmer of hope, when facing dark, treacherous valleys; a person would be lost in despair and loneliness. Hope then is a good thing without which we just die to life itself.

There were many years in which I faced so many trials. Year after year in which illness, pain, loneliness, and valleys of trials were present. That was when I wrote Mountaintop Experiences in the Valley with all the raw emotions of those valleys. I am now rewriting the third edition to provide even more insight into how I survived those years and continue to face the trials that arise along this journey of life. One thing that remained although at times very dimly was a ray of hope.

HOPE HAS A NAME

[bctt tweet=”That ray of hope however dim it began was the light that kept me going forward toward JOY!!”]

Let us look at some scripture which will guide.

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Mountain Moving Faith, Hope and Joy

Power Filled Positive Living-Chapter 19A—Mountain Moving Faith, Hope, and Joy

The wedding was over with all the excitement, beauty and wonder that weddings bring. For me there had been that special awe of realizing just how marvelously God had answered the prayers of this mother’s heart. Alberto and Lindsey were off to their honeymoon. Ron with his beautiful wife and two babies were on the plane to Florida. Melissa with her wonderful husband and daughter was on her plane back to California. I was on the drive back to Florida from Missouri with praise songs blaring from the speakers in my car. All the way to Missouri, God and I had talked. My finances were shaky as usual; after all the health struggles, all the surgeries, and my tendency to give away the rest to anyone in need of help. All the way to Missouri, there had been this sense of knowing that God was about to do something amazing and He was going to ask me to take a leap of faith. Now on the trip back to Florida, I knew that I at the age of 59 was about to make a major move to Missouri. I reminded God that there were gigantic mountains in my way. Mountains that I could never move. After all, who starts a career move at age 59? What about the upside down mortgage on my house? What about the cost? How was I going to manage moving mom to Missouri? Working 60 to 70 hours per week, how was I going to even add on the tasks of searching for a job, much less, packing and moving? Then, there was the task of finding homes for the 6 stray cats I had somehow inherited—one of which was feral.

When Mountains Loom

As my car steered through the mountains in Chattanooga, I really saw the mountains looming before my life as insurmountable; especially if I was to make such a move. Then, suddenly from the recesses of my mind; I heard the whispering voice of God, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20). Then, I knew!!

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