"He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years... afterward they shall come out with great possessions." -Gen 15:13-14
Difficult times can teach us valuable lessons in life. But storms can also prepare us for great blessing to come. Before the revival in Nineveh Jonah had to go through a storm of correction. Before Paul could go to Rome and preach the gospel there he had to endure a storm of direction (Typhoon led him to Malta). Before Noah and his family could start fresh in a new earth they underwent a storm of protection in the Ark. And before the disciples could grow in their faith they needed to row through a storm of perfection in a boat. It was the same with the Israelites before they could grow in possession and possess the promised land they needed to go through a period of affliction in Egypt under Pharaoh. It was through submission that they could blossom. Often there must be a time of service and lowliness before there can be a time of exaltation and blessing. Before we can grow in provision we must grow in affliction. You might be going through a rough time right now where you aren’t seeing the blessings and promises of God in your life. But rest assured God has not given up on you and me. He is hard at work in our lives even when we fail to see it. In the trials He is there, in the strife, stress and struggles He is there.God is always preparing our hearts for something bigger.
But we must remember that we cannot say yes to His hand of blessing while we say no to His hand of correction. We can't accept the blessing but deny the chisel. And we can't say "Yes Lord use me" but not expect to be shaped for usage! You see God refuses to use us if we are arrogant or proud. He will not share His glory with another who would take credit for what God does thru him or her. Often what God is trying to chisel out is our arrogant prideful selves. And the more we resist under pressure the longer we will remain under pressure. You see for growth and blessing we mustn't resist but persist under trials.
But we must remember that we cannot say yes to His hand of blessing while we say no to His hand of correction. We can't accept the blessing but deny the chisel. And we can't say "Yes Lord use me" but not expect to be shaped for usage! You see God refuses to use us if we are arrogant or proud. He will not share His glory with another who would take credit for what God does thru him or her. Often what God is trying to chisel out is our arrogant prideful selves. And the more we resist under pressure the longer we will remain under pressure. You see for growth and blessing we mustn't resist but persist under trials.
- "there can be no heirship without sonship, no righteousness without faith, no assurance without promises, and no blessing without suffering" -Wiersbe
- HOW HAS THE LORD GROWN YOU THROUGH TRIALS? LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JONAH AND THE CONSTANT TRIALS "PREPARED" BY THE HAND OF GOD. WHAT DIFFICULTIES IN YOUR LIFE HAS GOD PREPARED FOR YOU TO WALK IN?