Trials and Blessings

Jan 5, 2013, 3:02pm

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Let's be honest, who really loves it when we face the hard times? Anyone? Who likes losing work? Losing a loved one? Losing you own health? Etc? Not me.

The fact of life is that we will face hardships, just remember the words of James 1:2 - 4 where it says,2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

It's hard to think of trials as blessings, yet they are in that they cause us to grow in our faith moving from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood. I think of poor Job in times of stress. That guy lost his wealth, health, family, and his own wife told him to curse God and die! Nice huh? His friends accused him of doing something wrong - nice... The point is, how did Job react? He accepted the good and the bad from God as part of what he should expect in his life, and his reaction and response had Scripture say he did not sin in all that he did. Di he ask God what was going on? Sure. Did he accuse God? No. That's the difference.

So when hard times come, our response is everything. Do we blow up at everyone around us because times are tough? Do we close ourselves in our rooms and not come out for days on end? Do we engage in activities that are harmful to us spiritually and physically? If so, then we have sinned. Our response needs to be that of Job, accepting the good and bad from God and considering it pure joy in that we know our faith will grow as a result of this latest issue in our life.

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Update Jan 7, 2013, 9:38am

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Okay, so point in case - this past weekend? Flu went right through our family, the tub in our washroom has started to leak just before I was to go and speak at Wasaga CC, my friend's father (Scott Jackson) passed away, my youngest seems to be in whine mode lately, and moey is still tight due to work situation for me. So, what do I do? Do I lash out at everyone around me because life seems to be "unfair?" Did I engage in questionable activities? I turned to the Lord with the situations with my family and I trust it to His hands
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