Difficult circumstances can reveal much about a person. A smooth road reveals very little of our character, but when successive potholes mar our otherwise gentle pathway, we begin to get a look at the underside of our lives.
Faced with difficult challenges, it is easy to become preoccupied with what others have done to us, or to groan, "Why does this always happen to me?" But we must not overlook God's purpose in these trials.
Every challenge we face should be seen as a test or a lesson. Difficulties may come our way because God wants us to be involved in the solution — for our benefit — or for the benefit of others. We might also be enduring something so that God can reveal His glory, or display His faithfulness.
God also uses our circumstances to reveal to us the condition of our hearts, or to allow us to face the consequences for something we've allowed to take root in our lives, at our jobs, or in our families. If in these moments we avoid self-examination, we may find that our circumstances become more challenging and we become increasingly frustrated.
Life can be difficult, and as disciples of the crucified and risen Christ, what we face can be particularly challenging. This is why it is vitally important that we yield ourselves — daily, hourly, minute-by-minute — to God's Holy Spirit. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (12:10).
God is not impressed with our ability to handle things. When we meet with God in the morning and throughout the day, it becomes natural to bring our unexpected circumstances to Him as well. As we share our frustrations with Him, we can ask Him to overcome our emotions, and give us wisdom to know how to respond to our challenges.
As we open our lives to Him, He will turn our challenges into opportunities to become more like Him. Then we can have a godly expectation that something good can come out of our trouble (see James 1:2-5).
********
Excerpted from My Journal, a monthly devotional magazine from Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef.
Please register today for a free trial subscription to My Journal, a monthly publication featuring biblical teaching from Michael Youssef and weekly devotionals to encourage you in your personal Christian walk. You'll also enjoy ministry updates, testimonies from around the globe, our current broadcast schedules, and more!
For more information on the ministry of Leading The Way, please visit our web-site at www.leadingtheway.org.
Today, we live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to biblical values. It takes great courage and faith to live as a follower of Christ in a world characterized by moral depravity, injustice, idolatry, and more…but it is possible!
Dr. Michael Youssef invites you to take a walk through the book of Daniel with him. In Leading The Way Through Daniel, the first volume of the Leading The Way Through the Bible commentary series, you will discover how a man of God lived a godly life in a godless culture.
Like Daniel, we are living by faith in a faithless culture. Leading The Way Through Daniel equips you to stand for God’s truth despite great opposition. This timely devotional book is ideal for personal or group use.
Share with your friends