The Truth About Trials

"For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

 

 

One of the things that I dearly love about this passage of scripture is that it gives me hope. It helps me to endure whatever trial I must go through because it's producing something greater than the present trouble or the trial.

 

Produce means to bring forward; to birth; to bear. This means that this trial that I am going through just may be the result of a prayer that I prayed or a declaration that I made about my future.  About who I am in Christ Jesus.  About what I am called to do or be in the Kingdom of God.  It could very well be part of the birthing process; the labor that is bringing forward that thing that was purposed for be before the foundation of the earth.

 

The truth about trials is that they do serve a purpose. So don't feel like something must be wrong with you because trouble seems to always be at your door.  Or because you always seem to be going through a trial. Instead, let's get educated about trials so that we won't fear them, let them hinder us, or let them have the control over us in a negative way. Let's learn how to use them for our good. Let trials do what trials are designed to do in the life of a kingdom person. Produce!!!

 

There are three things about trials that I have discovered in this text that I would like to share with you.

 

1) Truthfully, according to scripture, our trials are just light afflictions. Light meaning that they are trivial, weightless, insignificant and small. Basically, they are an annoyance more than anything else. So don't give it more attention than it deserves.

 

2) According to the writer of this text, (Apostle Paul) says that the trials won't last very long.  In other words, it's seasonal. This coming from one who knows all about trials.  His entire ministry was plagued with trials. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10) But with every trial, God brought him out.

 

3) Finally, the truth is that trials will transform you. When the season changes you will be changed as well. Something permanent will happen in you that took place in a temporary season of your life. A glory will be produced in you that will greatly outweigh the trial and greatly outlast the season.

 

As I close, I want to encourage you to endure the trial.  Keep your eyes on the purpose regardless to how painful it may be.  There is a lasting treasure awaiting you in the end.

 

Pastor Karen

Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! Luke 17:1 NKJV

 

I am about to admit something about myself that I am not too proud of. I do so not for the purpose of telling off on myself but with the hope to help others. I am talking about how to deal with an offense the godly way. I have not truly mastered this even though I thought I was further along.  I used to say that I am not easily offended. And I thought that statement about me was true. Imagine how surprised I was the other day when something did not happen that I wanted to happen. It was something personal. And if the truth be told, it was actually an unrealistic expectation...and I knew it. So why would I be offended? And more importantly, how would I deal with it.

 

Well honestly, I know why I was offended in this particular situation. I keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Crazy, I know. (I also know that I am not the only one who does this.) But thank God for Holy Spirit. He kept me from acting the way I would normally act when I am offended in this way.

 

In this passage of scripture the word "offense" means stumbling block; the trigger of a trap or snare. Something that would cause another person to sin. AHA!!!! What a spiritual light bulb moment for me!!! Here is an opportunity for me to fall into sin or to rise to victory.

 

After laughing at myself for the split second that I allowed myself to wallow in self pity, I immediately shifted my focus off the offender (who by the way had no idea that I was offended) and began to focus on the real culprit and his intent. The real enemy was the devil; the evil one; the deceiver. His goal was to set a snare and get me entrapped in self pity, anger, and disappointment. Clearly if I would have allowed these feeling to overtake me it would have led to sin. Yes, I would have sinned with my thoughts, my tongue, and my actions.  I would have acted in ways that were unloving and ungodly, producing death in my relationship rather than life. I would have allowed the offense to rob me of my joy and peace in Christ Jesus.

 

The bible teaches us in Ephesians 4:27 to give no place to the devil.  2 Corinthians 2 reminds us that we are not ignorant of the devices of the devil. And John 10:10 further reveals the machinations of the evil one. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. When I saw what would happen if I allowed this offense to cause me to fall into the trap that the enemy had set for me, there was only one thing to do. I told myself to get over it and move on.

 

Dear friends, it is impossible that no offenses should come. Seriously. It is going to happen. Expect it. And don't apologize for being offended. Instead, be prepared to respond godly. The choice is yours. What will you choose?  

 

Pastor Karen Jethroe

 

 



The Year of the Turnaround

 

¹⁸ “But forget all that—
    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
¹⁹ For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.  

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT) 

 

At the end of 2012 the Holy Spirit delivered a profound word to my heart as he was preparing me for God's plan for my life for the coming year. He told me to plan to change my plans because this would be the year of the turnaround in many areas of my life. At the time, I had no idea what all he was referring to.  And as it is so common with God, he did not show me the whole picture.  He was just asking for my trust and my obedience.

 

Some of you may not realize this but many Christians walk with God more so from habit than from the heart. It's how we live without even thinking about it. And the only time it becomes noticeable is when God begins to do a new thing in our life that requires our participation. You know how it goes. You pray and ask for things to change and when he presents the prescription for the change...hmm. Most times, it never resembles what you are accustomed to. It doesn't look like it or sound like it.  And certainly does not feel like it. This is where trust and obedience will make the pivotal difference. Can you forget all of the past to enter into the new that God has for you?

 

Let me share with you some of the things that Holy Spirit is teaching me so that I can move forward with God's better plan for my life.

1. SOME THINGS WILL NEVER CHANGE - My flesh is always going to be in rebellion against God's will for my life. However, my born again spirit is stronger than the flesh. If I walk in the spirit I will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16) I must keep my eyes fixed on God's word so I won't give in to fear or intimidation or anything that resists God's will for me.
2. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE TO DO SO THAT GOD CAN DO THE THINGS THAT HE PROMISED TO DO - I know I just said a lot there but the fact remains that we cannot continue to think that a prophecy or a spoken word or a desire of our heart is just going to magically happen. No, this is what Holy Spirit spoke to my heart one day when I was in utter frustration over some areas of lack in my life. "You won't see what you decree until you prepare for what you declare." (Proverbs 18:9)
3. EVERYBODY WON'T HAVE THE SAME LIFE BUT EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A VICTORIOUSLY HAPPY LIFE - This was key to me. Everybody is going through something!!! It may not seem like it when you are looking with the natural eye. It may not seem like it when all you can focus on is your own problems. But the ones who you think are not going through anything are the ones who are mature in the faith and have been trained by Holy Spirit on the correct way to respond to trouble, heartaches, disappointments, adversities and temptations. (1Peter 5:8-11) In other words, they have learned how to deal with it in private so they can act right in public.

I don't know about you, but I refuse to be stuck in the past.  I am going to embrace the promise for this to be my year for everything to turnaround in my favor so God's will can be manifested in every area. God has my heart which means I will trust and obey. To God be the glory!

Pastor Karen