God's Training Ground

Sometimes life can be hard.  Sometimes people just don't treat us very nice and are at times just down right mean about certain things.  There are times in life when we face hardships and trials that we may ask ourselves, "what have I done to deserve this?"

When we are facing a hardship or a difficult season it doesn't necessarily mean that we have done anything wrong and it doesn't mean that God doesn't love us.  God does love us very much.  The thing is we live in a sinful fallen world that is full of trouble and just because we are followers of Jesus Christ doesn't mean we are immune to troubles.

Jesus told us that in this world we will have troubles, but He also reminded us that He has overcome the world.  There will be times when we feel beaten down and we may feel like people just don't like us or what we do is not good enough.

I get that feeling sometimes.  The feeling that people don't like me or that I am just not good enough.  Some people make that very clear by the way they treat me.  It shouldn't bother me, but it does and it hurts still.  I am thankful Jesus loves me and He hasn't forsaken me even when certain people have.

We wonder sometimes why God allows us to suffer various kinds of affliction.  The other day someone was talking about this subject and they said that God uses the sufferings in our lives to train us to be better followers of Jesus.

When we enter into suffering we are entering into God's training ground.  When we experience suffering we will be better equipped to minister to those who are going through what we went through.  We can also learn to draw nearer to the Lord during our trial and also learn to trust Him more.

The Lord will use this difficult trial that we experience to make us more Christ like.  No one likes to suffer.  I am kind of wimpy and I whine a lot at times (It's not a pretty sight, trust me.), but I know that the Lord will eventually work it out for His glory.

I am also glad that after this, "light affliction", is over that the Lord will welcome, all of us that are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, home to Heaven where we shall be with the Lord forever.  The Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes and He will welcome us with opened arms.

Sometimes life hurts really bad.  Sometimes it hurts like a very bad word as a friend of mine once said.   We need to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Jesus each and everyday.  Sometimes our dreams need to be surrendered upon His alter, but we can rest assure that the Lord has something far better waiting for us if we just trust Him and persevere in our faith in Jesus Christ.

Let's run the race that the Lord has set before us with perseverance.

Lord,
We praise Your Name.
Help us to forgive those who hurt us and use us badly.
Help us not to be bitter and angry.
Empower us to love others.
I lift us those who are hurting and facing trials.
Come Soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.