EVERYTHING that happens to you happens for a reason. It offers you a story and gives you a revelation.
For example, the disciples were devasted when Jesus died. Some stayed indoors, while two left for the village of Emmaus. (John 20:19-28)
As they walked and talked, Jesus joined them. But they were kept from recognizing him. And when they got to the village, they invited him to stay.
Inside their home, Jesus gave thanks and broke bread. Then, their eyes were open. (Luke 24:13-29)
Their challenge told a story not only about Jesus but also about them.
It Reveals Your Faith.
WHEN YOU face difficulties, one thing you do is pray.
You pray that God will shorten the time. You pray that he will soothe the pain and show you a way of escape. You pray that God will stop the adversity.
However, to pray to someone you do not see requires faith.
FAITH is believing in advance what can only be understood in reverse - Chuck Swindoll.
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him as righteousness. (Gal. 3:6)
The Woman with the Issue of Blood believed that if she touched the hem of Jesus' garment, she would be whole. (Luke 8:43-44)
You have to believe to receive.
It Reveals Your Trust in God.
WE DON'T gain Jesus' trust by simply believing in Him. Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear Him - John Bevere.
The fear of God is the recipe for holiness.
NOAH feared God and lived a blame-free life. No wonder when God looked down, he saw that Noah was holy. (Gen. 6:9)
He trusted God to live beyond the flood.
The fear of God is the recipe for holiness
RAHAB knew adversity was imminent. So, she took her fear to the people of God.
She put her life on the line to save them—and trusted them to keep their promise. (Josh. 2:1-24)
You cannot walk with God without trusting Him.
It Shows Where Your Allegiance Lies.
GOD DOES not need a test to know how faithful you are. However, you need a test to see where your allegiance lies.
The night Jesus was betrayed, he told his disciples they would fall away.
Though they all fall away, I will not, Peter replied.
And Jesus said to him, "The rooster will not crow this day until you deny three times that you know me." (Matt. 26:31-35)
Peter said he wouldn't. But when it happened, he remembered and wept bitterly. (Matt. 26:69-75)
It Reveals Your Friends.
BE CAREFUL how you celebrate a victory. You may be hurting some people.
David had just killed Goliath when the women of Israel sang his praise, but King Saul was very angry. (1 Sam. 18:7)
Over time, he wanted to take David's life. But Jonathan, the king's son, stood by him. (1 Sam. 20:42)
It Reveals Your Purpose.
WE ARE NOT just thrown on this earth as dice tossed across a table. We are lovingly placed here for a purpose -. Chuck Swindoll.
When Esther was sent to the harem, that was sufficient.
For fear of persecution, her uncle advised her to keep her family background and identity a secret. (Esther 2:20)
But when adversity came, Mordecai said to her:
If you stay silent during this time, deliverance for the Jews will come from somewhere, but you, my child, and all of your father's family will die. And who knows? Perhaps you have been made queen for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14)
Esther discovered her purpose in her trying time. She realized that she was made for more.
It Reveals The Future.
IN AN ATTEMPT to help his people, Moses killed an Egyptian and ran to Midian.
Forty years later, God met him at the burning bush. (Exod. 3:1-5)
The mental fog over him dissipated. He saw as God intended.
Moses realized that God was his future.
It Makes You Focus.
WE VIEW our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison because we don't focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
Final Thought
GOD ALLOWS your challenges because he wants you to seek Him.
Your challenges create an awareness that makes you see yourself in the light of God. They open the door to the supernatural, allowing you to see God's other dimension.