Articles
Trials and Faith
We will have moments and trials in this world that we will not understand, and we have to admit we don’t know everything--and that is okay. There is Someone who does, and He not only loves us but is there for us when we need Him. He has never left His people and He will never leave. Just because He may not solve your problem in the time it takes to snap a finger, it doesn’t mean He isn’t there and doesn’t love you.
As we look to the Bible, we can read the story of Hannah and her son Samuel. Hannah could not bear children and she had a rival who would not let her forget it. Year after year she was ridiculed by her rival so much so that she became anxious, vexed, and troubled in spirit to a point where even Eli thought she was drunk. Despite facing all the emotions, trials, and weeping, she poured her soul out to the Lord in prayer. How many times are we angry, upset, or feeling such strong emotions and send it toward others instead of giving it to the Lord. He may not cure your emotions in that instant, but He will help us make a better choice. Just like Hannah, we need to be patient and trusting the Lord, because she was given the gift of a son, Samuel.
Another story in the Bible that shows that God has a plan is Lazarus in John 11. Lazarus was Jesus’s friend who was gravely ill and had passed from his sickness while Jesus was away. When Jesus mentioned waking Lazarus, the disciples thought Jesus was talking about sleeping but He was talking about Lazarus’s death. Jesus was saddened by the death of His friend, but He was happy for two reasons: his friend was in fact only physically dead, and His friend made it so that Jesus performed a miracle. After risking stoning to go back to His friend and facing doubt from His followers, Jesus wept but then awoke Lazarus from the dead.
Like physical death is not the end of our stories, neither are our trials. They will end at some point, but the growth and understanding we can gain from those experiences are immeasurable to us--just like heaven will be if we remain faithful to walk in the light and follow Jesus’s example. He willingly faced death for us so we could be saved. So, if a change in your life needs to be made, now is the time. If you have questions about Jesus and the Bible, please ask us. Let us continue to grow, learn, pray, and repent.
Inspired by: 1 Samuel 1 and John 11
