Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance… - James 1:2-3
An unbelieving friend of mine, who’s pretty well off commented, “I know God has blessed me,” but I wondered, why do you think its God Who’s “blessing” you?
I once listened to a former New Age guru give his testimony on how, before coming to know Christ, he had worldly riches and power. A high position, money, lots of stuff, and according to him, even some sort of super-natural power to accomplish things in his career that his competition were unable to see, let alone do.
Then he said something I’ll never forget, “Satan will give you whatever it takes to keep you from Jesus.”
I thought, “Wait a minute; the Devil is going to give me what I want?” Ponder that; what if success is the worst, not the best, thing that could ever happen to us?
After all, the children of Israel turned their backs on God once the hard times were over and riches flowed in the “land of milk and honey”, the wisest man in the world said “A man is tested by the praise accorded him.” (Proverbs 27:21) Jesus said we’re headed for trouble when everyone talks good about us (Luke 6:26).
The point I’m making is not that we should want pain over prosperity, but that, for the Christ follower, pain reveals something that prosperity never will; true faith. It isn’t that we need trials in order to have salvation, but trials do have a way of showing us that our faith is real.
I like what a pastor friend of mine says,
“God doesn’t waste pain on His children.”
Question: When something difficult unexpectedly comes your way do you immediately seek your Father’s face or do you immediately seek a way of escape?
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