Trials, troubles, difficult times... Thanks for the compliment!

            Did you ever hear about the guy who God thought so highly of He made him loose everything?  No really.  This guy had such a good standing with the Man upstairs that God made him loose everything, even his children.  Sound cruel?  I agree.  But let's look at it through His eyes.

            The devil comes before our Father and God says, "Have you seen my servant Job?"  So right away God initiates the whole thing.  And then the story proceeds.  You can read it in the bible.  But there is one point that jumps out at me.  It was because God spoke well of Job that he receive these trials. 

            We are promised that He will not allow anything to happen to us that we can't handle.  And even then He gives us a way out.   When there are trials in your life, when things seem too much too handle, receive it as a compliment from your Father.  It is because He sees in you a place where you have allowed for His strength to show.  He sees a part of your heart that you have given to Him.  He sees a piece of your character that He gave you that could use the test.  These are the reasons why He brings you trials.  He wants you to get stronger.  He wants you to find out just what His strength can do.  He does it because He refuses to leave you dormant on the middle landing and not bring you up the stairs.  If there is truly a stairway to heaven then each step is harder, each step is higher and each step is a victory.  But with each step, while your foot is in the air, you feel as though you are off balance and could fall at any moment.  And it is that fear of falling that hurts us.  We have to resist that fear.  We have to hold onto the promise that He will finish what He has started.  We have to believe that whatever happens to us, it is part of His plan for us.  A plan of love. 

            This is why James can tell us to "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."  He continues, "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 

            So, again.  When He throws hard times your way, remember to thank Him for the compliment.  And thank Him for the opportunity to grow.

SDG