Honor Him in the Trials
"Glorify ye the Lord in the fires" (Isa. 24:15).
Mark the little word "in"! We are to honor Him in the trial--in that which is an affliction indeed and though there have been cases where God did not let His saints feel the fire, yet, ordinarily, fire hurts.
But just here we are to glorify Him by our perfect faith in His goodness and love that has permitted all this to come upon us. For years I sought the meaning of “Praise God in all things”. I could not fathom how one was to thank You for such adversity and hardships. You have taught me that I do not have to thank You specifically for the hardship or trial that has come upon me, but to thank You that You are never changing and are still in control and have a very good reason for allowing the hardship or trial to touch my life. In some cases, You have even shown me how to thank You for the very adversity, itself, as it has taught me a huge lesson in trusting You and leaning upon You, as well as a myriad of other character-building opportunities. You are ever-faithful and can be trusted with our very lives as You love us with an incomprehensible love – a love that is always looking out for our best.
And more than that, we are to believe that out of this is coming something more for His praise than could have come but for this fiery trial. I have much more to praise You for each day and each time You bring me through a fiery trial. Thank You for being faithful.
We can only go through some fires with a large faith; little faith will fail. We must have the victory in the furnace. --Margaret Bottome You have shown me that faith is built – little by little – as we make it through one trial after another. When we need the larger faith, You will not fail us. Faith, too, is a gift from You. How You choose to impart that to us is Your decision – not ours.
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A man has as much religion as he can show in times of trouble. The men who were cast into the fiery furnace came out as they went in--except their bonds.
How often in some furnace of affliction God strikes them off! Their bodies were unhurt--their skin not even blistered. Their hair was unsinged, their garments not scorched, and even the smell of fire had not passed upon them. And that is the way Christians should come out of furnace trials--liberated from their bonds, but untouched by the flames. Oh, Lord, I know that is possible only by clinging to You and trusting You have my best in mind throughout the entire process.
"Triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15).
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That is the real triumph--triumphing over sickness, in it; triumphing over death, dying; triumphing over adverse circumstances, in them. Oh, believe me, there is a power that can make us victors in the strife. There are heights to be reached where we can look down and over the way we have come, and sing our song of triumph on this side of Heaven. We can make others regard us as rich, while we are poor, and make many rich in our poverty. Our triumph is to be in it. Christ's triumph was in His humiliation. Possibly our triumph, also, is to be made manifest in what seems to others humiliation. --Margaret Bottome Help me to say, “if that be what You want for me, then let my shine for You in the midst of my trials and tribulations”. Help me to trust You with whatever You have planned for the remainder of my life.
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Is there not something captivating in the sight of a man or a woman burdened with many tribulations and yet carrying a heart as sound as a bell? Is there not something contagiously valorous in the vision of one who is greatly tempted, but is more than conqueror? Is it not heartening to see some pilgrim who is broken in body, but who retains the splendor of an unbroken patience? What a witness all this offers to the enduement of His grace! --J. H. Jowett I am always awe-stricken in the hearing of a dear Saint suffering in body and still remaining as close to You as possible – accepting what Your hand has allowed and still living a victorious life for You. What a testimony they are to Your love and faithfulness.
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"When each earthly prop gives under,
And life seems a restless sea,
Are you then a God-kept wonder,
Satisfied and calm and free?"
Am I? I am learning to be – more and more. Thank You – again – for deeming me worthy of teaching. Help me learn the lessons You have laid out before me and let me be a credit to Your name.
