God's Promise to YOU!


Tragic experiences often come into the lives of our brethren, such that they may question whether God is working for their good or not.  Such situations are not expected, and nothing that anyone could rejoice in.  Facing difficult news, and setting aside long cherished plans and hopes, even temporarily, is a challenge of large proportion to one's faith.  These are also a great sorrow to us, both at the event, and at the challenge to the faith of the ones under trial.  But God's word provides encouragement for these.


We read in scripture that such tragedies and more might be asked of us by God, but that he will provide for our good in all that he asks of us.  Most Christians are acquainted with Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  This scripture cannot be taken lightly.  It is always true, and always applicable to all who love God and are called according to his purposes.  ALL things indeed work together for our good!  ALL things benefit us when we are in God's care and in his providences!  NOTHING that happens to us can work against us!  Whether it is directly from God, or from the world, or from Satan, God will see to it that it is always for our benefit.  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


We read further on this in Ro 8:38-39  "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  The love of God in Christ is God's perfect will for us which will bring us to sanctification, the perfection that he desires for us.  And we read here that nothing in time, space, entity, or event can separate us from this purpose of God for our lives.  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


As stated, no one can rejoice in facing traumatic experiences.  Yet we read in James 1:2, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials."  The word here rendered "trials" could also be temptations, difficulties, testings; all those things that come upon us in life; all the "providences" of God in our lives, whether from God, the world, or Satan.  This verse does not say to count the trial itself as joy.  It speaks rather of counting it joy to be in the trial, and the opportunity that the trial provides.  But even so, how is this possible?  


It is possible and even true as explained in the following verses; James 1:3, 4, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  (4)  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."  So we see that the trial itself, which can be abhorrent to us, still has a lesson that lies within it which God wants us to learn.  As these verses testify, this trial will develop our faith through the lesson we learn.  And our faith will produce patience in us.  And if we patiently endure all that God directs and permits in our lives, we will come to "perfection"; that state of sanctification in which we will be complete, lacking nothing!  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


And if any has any doubts about these truths, just look at James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  This verse tells us that if we cannot understand these things, if we do not have God's wisdom to see and appreciate this, we can go to God and ask him to explain it to us; to put it in words and ways that make it clear to us, so that we can see that he indeed is on our side, bringing only good to us, and we need not fear.  (Ro 8:31).  And God will give us the understanding we need of the trial, and he will give us the wisdom we need to overcome in the trial, and to grow our faith.  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


But we must ask in complete faith.  For we read in the following verses, James 1:6-8  "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  (7)  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  (8)  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."  The entire basis of our relationship with God is faith!  We can make no advances with him, and gain no reward from him without faith.  Heb 11:6  "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  And this faith, as you know well from James must be lived, otherwise it is dead and is not truly faith (James 2:17, 26).  This same faith must be faithfully and obediently lived in us our entire life as we read in 1 John 5:4  "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith."  And in Rev 2:10, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."  And in Rev 17:14, "those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."


This all-important faith is what is developed in us in the trials that we read about in James 1:2-5.  And it is in the lessons that we find and grow this faith, and we will through patience in pursuing and living this faith be brought to perfection, the sanctification that is God's will, his agape love for us!  We rejoice in this, not in the trial itself.  Each advance in faith is to be a joy for it brings us closer to God.  In this way we can rejoice as we enter the trial.  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


If anyone has any doubts that they can handle a trial of this size, don't be discouraged at all!  For we already have God's assurance that we are far stronger than we now believe.  Look at 1 Cor 10:13 " No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."  The Greek word here rendered "temptations" is exactly the same word rendered "trials" in James 1:2.  So look what this says of our spiritual condition and strength, and maturity!  It says we ARE able to bear this trial, for God has permitted us to be in it!  Otherwise he would have given us an escape out of it.  In this he has certified our competence to take the trial and learn the lessons in it, and in this too we can rejoice!  So therefore, take courage, be strong, continue to trust in God, and we will overcome!  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


This does not mean the trial will be easy.  But Christ who walks with us through this trial will see to it that our burden in it is light.  It does not mean that the outcome will be exactly as we would have it be, but that the God who provided this providence will have an outcome that is even more blessed for us.


Prov 3:5, 6  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  (6)  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."  This is the crux of the matter.  We must trust that God's ways for us are better than our ways for ourselves.  We must trust that his understanding is better than our understanding.  We must trust him in ALL our ways, and not just in the ways that we can't plan for ourselves.   We must trust him when he changes our perfect plans, and upsets our lives, giving us a whole new direction to travel.


Trusting God, is after all, having faith in HIM!  This is the faith that is the basis of our whole relationship with him.  This is the faith which will overcome the world and put us on the throne with Christ.  It is believing (having faith; trusting) that God's will for us is the very best for us, that leads us to infinitely trust him wherever he leads.  And with each step we have to obey; we have to live the faith we claim, so that it grows in us and becomes his perfect will for us!


When all is said and done, the simple thing God asks of us is to "Trust and Obey".  Trusting is getting faith.  Obeying is living faith.  And if we can keep these two simple processes alive and constant in our lives, we WILL overcome in this life, and we WILL receive the perfection and the reward that God has in mind for us, in EVERY trial we face!  You can firmly believe this!  This is God's promise to YOU!


May God richly bless, strengthen, comfort, and lift you up to higher planes, as you seek through each trial to find the lessons he would have you learn, and also the rejoicing that will come with the lessons.  And when each trial is over, may he bless you in greater ways than even you can now imagine.