Why Does God Allow Trials? Part III
“With your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Rev.5: 9
With the horrific killings of eight people in Atlanta this past week, I’m sure many are asking “Why does God allow this?” And with the huge rise in attacks on the Asian-American community, many are grieving at these expressions of hate that harm older and much-loved members of their families. As a non-Asian, I too, grieve at this.
Let me say emphatically, based on God’s heart for “people from every tribe and language and nation”, that hate for anyone from any group is sin. It is an offense before God and something we must not allow in our own hearts or minds. Jesus shed his blood, not just for you and me and all in our circle, but for the world.
TRIALS OFTEN RESULT FROM SOMEONE’S CHOICES
The Atlanta killings, and all the others we are so tragically familiar with, are a result of people’s choices—not God’s. Regardless of the reasons why a person creates such pain for so many, or what causes any trial in your life, your perspective makes a crucial difference in how you move forward.
* SATAN’S greatest tool is discouragement: He whispers, “Give up. God doesn’t care. He has abandoned you. He is not good.”
* YOUR greatest task is to fight back with truth!
* In your trials: Will you go down like a tree uprooted in the storm, or will you stand strong because you are rooted and stabilized in God’s truth?
TRIALS ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE MATURITY
One stabilizing truth is Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him….” This verse does not say that everything that happens to us is good. Some things are most definitely not good, and God doesn’t tell us to delude ourselves or call evil good. What Paul does declare is that God works all the events in our lives—awful or awesome—together for our spiritual good.
A second stabilizing truth is James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance….” Notice James says that trials of every variety are tests of faith. Why? Because whenever we face them, we have the opportunity to prove that we really believe in God and trust Him with our lives.
TRIALS OFFER SPIRITUAL COPING SKILLS
1. Cling to God’s character: Fill your mind with what Scripture clearly reveals: Our Father is a God of love, compassion, and wisdom.
2. Cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
3. Declare to Him, “No matter what happens, You are the Sovereign Lord and I will walk with you.” (Habakkuk 3:19) He will enable you to stand in your trial.
4. Consider Christ’s sufferings. God knows what human pain and suffering is like. He cares and will comfort you.
5. Call for God’s Help. Hebrews 4:16 urges: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive the grace to help us in our time of need.”
6. Claim God’s promises to work for good. Scripture declares, “God IS at work for good.” Feed your faith on promises from the Word:
Isaiah 43: 2-3: “When you… I will be with you.”
I Peter 5:10: “The God of all grace WILL himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
This content is condensed from the chapter, How Can I Stand in Life’s Storms? (I’m Too Human to be Like Jesus.) Email me if you’d like to purchase this book and learn more.
Storms and trials are part of everyone’s life--but they can be God’s growing places!
Tell me your story—I’d love to hear.
Poppy
Get snippets of encouragement every other day. They are posted with YOU in mind at: Instagram and Facebook.
Click here to purchase I’m Too Human on Amazon!
Click here to purchase an autographed copy directly from me.
