God Is at Work in Your Trouble

I’m sorry I missed out on sending a devotion yesterday.  I woke up Sunday feeling poorly.  I feel like I lost a day in there somewhere, but today, I realize what I’ve just experienced could be categorized as a “light affliction.” Sometimes, in life, the signs of the coming storm are clear.  We may have a warning of trouble on the horizon.  However, some storms come suddenly.  Either way, we really should not be surprised when they come.  

1Pe 4:12-13 

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  (13)  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Peter warned us not to be surprised when trouble comes, as if some strange thing had happened in our lives. This is God’s way.  And in the storm, we are invited to trust our God.  In the storm, we are invited to have faith.  Through the storm, we are invited to fellowship with our God.  Through the storm, we are invited to know our God intimately.

Secret storms are the hardest.  We can’t tell people what we’re going through.  It’s a private matter.  We all have them.  Circumstances that are too hard to share.  Disappointments that we can’t bring ourselves to even utter any words out loud.  But thank God, He is with us (in the storms that are so obvious to others, but also in the secret storms).  His grace is sufficient.  His love is enough. 

I’m reminded in the storm that God wastes nothing. I know in my storm, He will not waste my pain. He will use it for my good and His glory.  I love that about my God.  He knows exactly what I need.  He knows exactly when I need.  He knows exactly how much I need.  And, my God has promised to meet my every need, even if that need is a secret storm.

The storms of life rarely seem to leave us quickly, but in God’s eyes, they all do.  I’m thankful that God’s word assures us that our afflictions are light and only for a moment.

2Co 4:17-18

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. 

If you’re in a storm, hang on, an eternal weight of glory is on the way.

-Joe