Problems don’t automatically produce what God intends. Many people become bitter, rather than better, and never grow up. I am usually like that person, become bitter and never grow up.
Remember that God’s plan is good. God knows what is best for you and has your best interests at heart. God told Jeremiah, “The plans I have for you [are] plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Joseph understood this truth when he told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Hezekiah echoed the same sentiment about his life-threatening illness: “It was for my own good that I had such hard times.” Whenever God says no to your request for relief, remember, “God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.”
It is vital that you stay focused on God’s plan, not your pain or problem. That is how Jesus endured the pain of the cross, and we are urged to follow his example: “Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards.” The power of focus: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!” Your focus will determine your feelings.
The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is temporary but your reward will be eternal. Moses endured a life of problems “because he was looking ahead to his reward.”Paul endured hardship the same way. He said, “Our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!”
Don’t give in to short-term thinking. Stay focused on the end result: “If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.”
Rejoice and give thanks. The Bible tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” How is this possible? Notice that God tells us to give thanks “in all circumstances” not “for all circumstances.” God doesn’t expect you to be thankful for evil, for sin, for suffering, or for their painful consequences in the world. Instead, God wants you to thank him that he will use your problems to fulfill his purposes.
The Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord always.”It doesn’t say, “Rejoice over your pain.” That’s masochism. You rejoice “in the Lord.” No matter what’s happening, you can rejoice in God’s love, care, wisdom, power, and faithfulness. Jesus said, “Be full of joy at that time, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven.”
We can also rejoice in knowing that God is going through the pain with us. We do not serve a distant and detached God who spouts encouraging clichés safely from the sideline. Instead, he enters into our suffering. Jesus did it and his Spirit does it in us now. God will never leave us on our own.
Refuse to give up. Be patient and persistent. The Bible says, “Let the process go on until your endurance is fully developed, and you will find that you have become men of mature character . . . with no weak spots.”
Character building is a slow process. Whenever we try to avoid or escape the difficulties in life, we short-circuit the process, delay our growth, and actually end up with a worse kind of pain — the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance. When you grasp the eternal consequences of your character development, you will pray fewer “Comfort me” prayers (“Help me feel good”) and more “Conform me” prayers (“Use this to make me more like you”).
You know you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the random, baffling, and seemingly pointless circumstances of life.
If you are facing trouble right now, don’t ask, “Why me?” Instead ask, “What do you want me to learn?” Then trust God and keep on doing what’s right. “You need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.”Don’t give up — grow up!
