{"id":1830,"date":"2018-09-14T10:57:17","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T14:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pibcny.com\/blog\/?p=1830"},"modified":"2018-09-14T10:57:20","modified_gmt":"2018-09-14T14:57:20","slug":"embrace-the-trial-part-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pibcny.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/14\/embrace-the-trial-part-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Embrace the Trial \u2013 Part 7"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Understanding the \u201cWhat\u201d Question \u2013 \u201cEmbracing\u2018What<\/em>\u2019 God Desires<\/em>\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cWho<\/a>\u201d question leads us to the \u201cWhat\u201d question. Understanding more of Who<\/em> God is<\/a> brings us to the place of seeing our trial through the lens of Scripture from God\u2019s perspective. From His vantage point we can begin to see what<\/em> He desires\u2014what<\/em> He desires us to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking\nback on the days immediately following my Emergency Room visit, I lay in bed\ntrying to come to grips with what exactly was taking place. During those first\nfew days the Lord was challenging me to embrace\nthe ministry<\/em> of this trial. This tends to be a foreign concept in the way\nthat we naturally<\/em> think. The reality\nis that these custom\ndesigned trials<\/em> are meant to impact far more than just the one it was specifically\ndesigned for. God seeks to use our personal trials in the lives of others as we\nseek to be used of God to minister to them. Consider Paul\u2019s words to the saints\nat Corinth when he writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlessed be<\/em> God<\/strong>, even the Father<\/strong> of our Lord Jesus Christ<\/strong>, the Father <\/strong>of mercies, and the God <\/strong>of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God<\/strong>.\u201d\u20142 Corinthians 1:3-4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A ministry to others?! I admit that in the throws of a trial this can be quite a challenge to wrap our minds around but I have found that there is a tremendous blessing in embracing the ministry<\/em> of this trial. The Lord has given me a hope beyond simply enduring<\/em> this trial\u2014just trying to make it to the end. The reality is that, what if there is no end? What if these health struggles are God\u2019s providential path for me to walk for the duration of my life? Simply enduring<\/em> this trial would be unbearably frustrating and discouraging. I am convinced that God\u2019s desire is NOT that we endure<\/em> our trials but truly embrace<\/em> them for our best and for His glory. To simply endure<\/em> a trial is resignation to a never-ending reality while embracing<\/em> the trial sees the value of the trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To simply endure<\/em> the trial takes on a mindset that this is being done \u201cto\u201d me while embracing<\/em> the trial <\/strong>takes on the mindset that this is being done \u201cfor\u201d me<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nremember that I had many questions in those first few days, yet one overarching\ncertainty was that God had a purpose in all of this (Romans 8:28-29). From this\ntruth the Lord laid on my heart this purpose\nstatement<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEmbrace the trial, that I may KNOW Him and GLORIFY Him.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was within these first few days I was drawn to the book of\nJob, finding this study to be both exhausting and refreshing. I sought to plumb\nthe depths of truth in this Biblical account of Job\u2019s suffering and was\nreminded that God\u2019s desire<\/em> for each\nof us is to respond in worship<\/em> when confronted with adversity<\/strong>.\nIt is true that there are certain lessons that can only be learned in the schoolhouse\nof suffering. Even still, I believe it is imperative to seek to learn all that\nwe can through the trials that others go through. From Job\u2019s experience, one of\nthe precious truths the Lord has shown me, is how the Godly man responds to\nadversity\u2014He worships<\/em><\/strong>! (Job 1:20-22; Job 2:10). This clearly\nstems from his right view of God. The book of Job shows us a wonderful example\nof God\u2019s desire for us to ask the right questions in our trials. Job responds\nincredibly well, in fact, extremely well when he is confronted first, with the\nloss of all his possessions and his children (Job 1) and secondly, with the\nloss of his health (Job 2). In both instances he falls down and worships<\/em><\/strong>\nthe Lord. This is a Godly example that we all should strive to emulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I stated in part 2<\/a>, \u201cI genuinely believe that when we learn to look at our trials in the light of Who God is and what His purpose for our trial is, we will then embrace our trials, understanding that they are for our best and for His glory<\/em>.\u201d Although these trials often come with great difficulty, we must seek to never lose sight of God\u2019s praiseworthy purpose<\/em> that Peter speaks of in his first epistle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ<\/strong>:\u201d\u20141 Peter 1:7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the trials of life, God\u2019s desire for each of us is to\nrespond to adversity in worship<\/em>,\ngiving Him glory, not only as an initial response but consistently and\nfaithfully even as the trial wears on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose statement\u2014\u201cEmbrace the trial, that I may know\nHim and glorify Him<\/em>\u201d\u2014contains both a command, a purpose, but also a\nprivilege. Obedience to the command<\/em>\nto \u201cembrace the trial\u201d leads to the privilege<\/em>\nof knowing the greatness of our God more intimately which guides us to the purpose<\/em> of glorifying our heavenly\nFather more consistently. Embracing the trial is a spiritually\nmaturing process. The more I learn about Who my heavenly Father is, the more I\nwill grow in His grace and be more inclined to surrender to His perfect plan\nfor me. This is a way of worship which glorifies Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider our Savior in the days leading up to His crucifixion. The shadow of the cross looms larger and darker over His path with each step He takes to fulfill His foreordained rescue mission He was sent from heaven to accomplish. He understands the full extent of the agony He would endure as He is to be crushed in this looming crucible of affliction. He embraces the reason for this mission, knowing each soul whose sin He will bear but also each soul whom He would save (Hebrews 12:2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As He anticipates this impending suffering in sacrifice He does not, even for a single moment, rebel against the will of His Father. It is under this weight that He speaks these words; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow is My<\/strong> soul troubled; and what shall I<\/strong> say? Father<\/strong>, save Me<\/strong> from this hour: but for this cause came I<\/strong> unto this hour. Father<\/strong>, glorify Thy<\/strong> name\u201d\u2014 John 12:27-28a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He embraced the trial because He knew<\/em> His Father and desired to glorify <\/em>Him at all costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ asks\nthe question, \u201cShould I ask to be delivered from this hour\u2014this crucible of affliction?\u201d\nThe very reason for which He came to this earth was to walk this path of humiliating\nsuffering; to die the cross-like death; to bear the sins of the world as our\nChief Substitute; and to endure the wrath of a just and holy God against the sin\nof the world. He came to \u201cseek and to save that which was lost<\/em>\u201d (Luke 19:10)\nand glorify His Father with each step of obedience He took to complete this rescue\nmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question He asks brings a startling rebuke to my own heart as I consider the thought of refusing<\/em> what God says is best for me<\/strong>. The Father had determined Christ\u2019s painful path and He has also providentially determined my path. Should I say, \u201cFather, save me from this hour\u2014this trial\u201d? Jesus\u2019 heart\u2019s desire was that His Father would be glorified at any and all costs. Nothing was too great a sacrifice to see His Father magnified. As a recipient of God\u2019s amazing grace and mercy and object of His immeasurable love, should my desire be any different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then\nwill be my response? When I surrender daily to God\u2019s Word, \u201cgrace and peace [are]\nmultiplied unto [me] through the knowledge of God<\/strong><\/em>\u201d (2 Peter 1:2). These transforming truths\u2014knowing the\nheart of my heavenly Father Who has lovingly designed this path for me brings\nme to respond, \u201cFather, glorify Thy name<\/em>\u201d!\nWhen I take on the mind and heart of my Savior and follow His example of\nobedience, my response will be, \u201cFather,\nglorify Thy name<\/em>\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This journey is marked by mountains and valleys. It is marked by paths riddled with twists and turns, with paths that seemingly have no end, accompanied by temptations to doubt the purposes of God. With each step I must, in reliance upon God\u2019s Spirit, remember that this path is one that leads to heights of truth that only this trial will bring me. Yet on this journey the Lord has also brought me to depths where I have seen the heights of the mountains of truth before me. The perspective is different in the valley<\/strong>. From the valley these truths seem even more transcendent as if reaching to the heavens from which they come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I must embrace<\/strong> both the beautiful sights from the mountain top as well as the beauty of God\u2019s perspective<\/strong> in the valley below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is the path that will bring my heavenly Father the most glory? What opportunities are laid out before me\u2014opportunities to display God-honoring attitudes and actions\u2014opportunities to speak God-honoring words and think God-honoring thoughts? On this foreordained journey laden with obstacles and opportunities how will I respond? I must learn to allow God\u2019s all-sufficient grace to be a practical reality<\/em> in my life. I must daily surrender, intentionally letting Christ\u2019s \u201cstrength [to be] made perfect in [my] weakness<\/em>.\u201d Then and only then can I begin to echo Paul\u2019s words saying, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ<\/strong> may rest upon me.\u201d\u2014 2 Corinthians 12:9b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through this process the Lord shows Himself mighty and will advance His kingdom through my story. This is an amazing thought to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you find yourself in a similar narrative of difficulty with different characters and circumstances? How are you responding? Let me remind you, of what I so often need to be reminded of myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know somethings about God<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Know<\/strong> that our loving God in His sovereignty<\/em> (His absolute control) and His all-wise providence<\/em> (His purpose and plan to complete that purpose) allows all things to take place at their exact moment in time. The problem is that we want to be in control having things done when and how we want. Yet as we learn to wait on God, because of Who He is and Who He is to each of us personally, we will then see that all things are done at their beautiful and right time and we can truly rest quietly while we are waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do something about what you know<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Embrace<\/strong> the process as you see it from to God\u2019s vantage point. Refrain from simply enduring<\/em> the process for with this mindset we miss so much of what God intends for us to learn\u2014truths that we will only learn when we truly see the worth of the trial and therefore reach out and whole-heartedly embrace it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I know and trust Who God is\u2014<\/em>that He will not make\nthis suffering last any longer than is necessary and that He desires my best\nfor His glory\u2014<\/em>I can submit and wait for His perfect time to complete the\nprocess. Again, this is a continual, repeated exercise of the mind as I daily\nre-embrace the trial<\/em><\/strong> that God in His loving providence and sovereignty\nhas custom designed for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When \u201cGod<\/em><\/strong> is our refuge and strength, a very\npresent help in trouble. Therefore we will not\nfear<\/em>,\u201d fret or fold. For as we learn to trust the Lord and let Him\nbe our \u201crefuge\nand strength<\/em>\u201d we can \u201cbe still<\/em>\u201d because we \u201cknow that [He is] God,<\/em>\u201d we see the\nreality of His trustworthiness. The result is that He will be \u201cexalted<\/em>\u201d and\nglorified in and through our trial (Psalm 46:1-2a,10). This is what God\ndesires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, embrace the trial, My dear child, My best is what you\u2019ll see, <\/em>Beyond the suffering you feel, My Son they soon shall see.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n