No one lives a perfect life - regardless of what they post on social media! We all face numerous, trials, troubles, and disappointments over the course of life. It's not a smooth road for anyone. And for just about all of us, our choice when faced with troubles is for God to make them disappear. When trials come, we want Him is to make them go away. And we'd just as soon not have any big disappointments, thank you.
No one wants to go through any of these things. We'd all prefer a life of smooth sailing and sunshine, where everything goes according to plan and there are no unforeseen circumstances to deal with or terrible storms to capsize our little boats. No sudden catastrophies, serious illnesses, or unexpected deaths. No job layoffs, financial crises, or backstabbing business competitors. No legal difficulties or children in trouble with the law. No friends or family members who let us down, lie to us, use us and abuse us.
Not going to happen, friends. At least, not while we live in these physical bodies in this sin-ravaged world. Heaven will be free of all these things, but until we get there, we have to learn how to deal with troubles and disappointments. Someone once said every single one of us is either going through trouble, just coming out of trouble, or just about to go through trouble. That's just life.
We have to understand that our ways are not God's ways. Many of us can look back at horrible things we've gone though, and realized that God was using our circumstances to mold us and shape us. He never left us alone through our troubles, but was right there beside us all the way. And He used the very things we went through to accomplish something good, whether in our own lives or the lives of others! Our heartbreak enabled us to help someone else going through a similar problem. Our loss enabled us to empathize and reach out to help someone else. Our experiences are never wasted: God uses each and every one of them to further His kingdom. We have His word on it:
And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)
Remember there is no such thing as an "unforeseen circumstance" to our omnipotent Father. What we consider a disaster may have hidden blessings. That thing that brought us to our knees also drew us closer to God. What we think is unbearable will help us to help others. What we consider a disappointment may turn out to be His-appointment, a chance for us to grow in our own faith or help someone else. We have to remain faithful and know that the Almighty God is in control of every circustance.
Learn to praise Him, not just when things are going our way, but even in the midst of whatever life throws at us, because He is doing great things that we cannot fully understand until after we've gone through the storm. Remember that no matter how bad things may seem right now, our troubles will not last forever, they are only temporary. And even though we cannot see the eternal benefits of what we go through, it will all work out for our good when we allow God to work in us and through us, whatever it takes.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man
perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:16-18)
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