The Purpose of Trials

Recently I’ve been writing about the trials of life. Specifically those that don’t seem to end. I thought the subject closed but God has put upon my heart the need to share the next level or stage of trials in our lives. Namely, their purpose.

To review, in “The Unending Trials” I shared the calling God puts in our lives in regard to these trials. He’s molding and sometimes rebuilding us through these challenges.

In the post “Thankful for Trials?” I explored four key points to moving from a place of despair to thankfulness for our trials. These truths are so important and crucial to persevering through trials that don’t seem to end. Take another look at them below, and then we’re going to take a look at some key truths we need to trust God’s purpose in them.

1. God is good. First John 4 is all about God’s character and that He IS love. Therefore his motivations for allowing trials in our lives are good as well. He’s literally not capable of a bad motivation. That’s the one thing God simply can’t do.

2. God is in control. All our trials have God’s seal of approval. That one can be hard to swallow, but understanding the first truth I pointed out helps a lot. The story of Job is a great representation of this truth. Everything has to go before God first. If He allows a trial or challenge in our life, He has a reason. And like Job, we may not understand what it’s all about. God simply asks that we trust Him and trust that He has a purpose for it all.

3. God is an equipper. To look at the Bible as a whole is to see a story spanning hundreds of years with a universal message. God loves his children and does not abandon them. He doesn’t just allow a trial in our life and then leave us to fend for ourselves. God has already given us his strength through his Holy Spirit. It’s right there. We just have to make sure we’re functioning in that strength and not our own. That means we need to spend time with God in order to stay close to Him and the source of that strength.

4. God is a redeemer. The amazing thing about all our trials is that God redeems everything. He doesn’t allow them in our lives without a reason. He has a purpose and a plan for each one. Sometimes the focus is on us, other times it’s to do with another person in our lives, like a spouse or a child. He uses them to refine our faith, teach us more about His character, and to bring us closer to understanding what sacrificial love is all about. He brings us closer to the image of his Son, Jesus.

These truths are foundational to our trust in God and acceptance of His plan for our lives and the lives of those around us. It’s easy to only focus on ourselves and forget that the lives AND spiritual journeys of those we love are also interconnected with our own. Sometimes we don’t realize that the trial we are enduring with a loved one is critical to their spiritual maturity or even their salvation.

Let’s take a look at James 1:2-4:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

First of all, Paul is asking the believers to have an attitude of joy. He then justifies his direction with explaining the purpose of our trials. He speaks of perseverance, which in the original Greek translation, hupomone, also means patience.

He further expounds the purpose of trials in our lives as the means to our maturity—to complete our spiritual growth and to equip us so that we lack nothing. If we read between the lines, Paul is saying that without our trials, we are incomplete. Our faith will stagnate. This is his reasoning for the joy, because in our trials our faith matures and equips us not only for this life but for the next one as well.

Our journey through this life is preparation for our heavenly lives where we will be reunited with our Creator. That takes preparation and growth. The amazing part is that God desires this so that we can enjoy and experience Him more fully. Can we wrap our brains around this? That our faith and our trials are intimately linked? Trials are necessary for our faith to mature and for our relationship with God to grow.

This is God’s keen purpose in our trials, and when we hold His perspective in those times of difficulty and challenge, we can know that we are accomplishing through God’s strength and presence far more than we can see or even imagine.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Baptism is Happy and Sad

Yesterday as I sat during church, I watched as five individuals gave their testimony and were baptized. I’m nearly always moved to tears when I watch someone become baptized. I pray with diligence as they go under the water, asking the Lord to protect them from the enemy and to grow them up in the ways of the Lord. As they rise from the water, I clap and I whisper words of praise and join the angels who are celebrating one more broken and lost person finds their way home.

At the same time, I find I’m can be overwhelmed with a deep sadness.

It’s such a bizarre roller-coaster moment. I truly am happy for these who obey Christ in water baptism but I grieve because that still small part of my heart deeply longs to see my husband participate in the believer’s baptism. What I find difficult is that I’m still battling this feeling of sadness in spite of all the distance I have come in my walk with God.

Why do I still have moments of deep sadness? Why after a few hours and I’ve returned home, I’m angry and short-tempered with my spouse. Why do I take it out on him knowing he is clueless as to why I’m behaving like a grouch?

I’ve spent a lot of time asking God about this today. What is frustrating, puzzling and yet reassuring and absolutely true of our Lord is this:

He says to me, “Lynn, there is still much I still need to teach you. Your husband’s salvation is at hand and will be according to My perfect timing. I do not delay to hurt you but only to make you so much more than you thought possible. Your waiting and longing heart is serving my purposes for your life and as well as your husband.

I know you feel sad that he is not at your side in church but you also know I will make you strong enough to walk this difficult path. I will never leave you nor forsake you. One day my daughter, you will see and understand the why of it all.

And, it will leave you breathless.”

So to you my friends, I know so many of you are in a difficult place and are also sad and waiting on the Lord. And although I have made giant strides through Christ to thriving in my marriage, I also don’t forget the real pain, sadness and all other emotions you feel.

Now let me tell you something you may need to hear today. It’s from the Lord:

“My Chosen One. There is still much I still need to teach you. Your spouse’s salvation is at hand and will be according to My perfect timing. I do not delay to hurt you but only to make you so much more than you thought possible. Your waiting and longing heart is serving my purposes for your life and as well as your spouse.

I know you feel sad that your mate is not at your side in church but you also know I will make you strong enough to walk this difficult path. I will never leave you nor forsake you. One day my child, you will see and understand the why of it all.

And, it will leave you breathless.”

~The Lord

Facebook Ruins Marriage

Facebook ruins marriage.

I’m sure you saw in the news a few weeks ago a Pastor in New Jersey gained national attention when he told his staff to close their Facbook accounts.

The gist of this requirement was his experience that in his marital counseling efforts, many marriages ended because of Facebook. A married spouse would find an old flame online, they began to chat and then ultimately began an affair.

Well this incident with the pastor opened up some fascinating and interesting conversation around our house, with my teen-daughter, my husband and a few of my friends.

So my question; Is Facebook a danger to marriages? Should we close down our account? Now don’t be shy, add your voice because I can tell you, this is a very real issue. We received many Google search hits on an article I wrote about this very issue a year ago.

So, what say you?

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Hugs, Lynn

Original Article: An affair? Facbook?

How Do We Help our Unbelieving Spouse see Jesus this Christmas?

With Thanksgiving behind us, I find we are already in the rush toward Christmas.

Before we know what happened, Christmas day will be upon us. So, let's think about what intentional efforts we can make to make our Christmas celebration a time of witness to our unbelieving family members.

For me personally, this is an exceptional challenge. I'm so busy with preperations, buying gifts, wrapping, our church Christmas Dessert and all manner of stuff that I have little brain power left when my husband's family arrives and to be purposeful in our home for Jesus.  I always feel like I could have done better.

So let's share some ideas on how to bring Christ into focus this time of year in your spiritually mismatched home. Do we invite the family to church on Christmas Eve? Do you read the Christmas story? Do you display a manger?

Looking forward to hearing your ideas. I will be checking in to add to our conversation. Be blessed, Lynn

Blessings This Thanksgiving

Holy-day?

I was in the grocery store today, picking up some last minute items for our Thanksgiving dinner and heard an announcement over the intercom. The woman speaking about an in-store promotion had an accent that made the word "holiday" sound like "holy day."

This made me pause and think. What a precious thought to bring this Thanksgiving to God as a "holy day." To be thankful just for Him.

I hope and pray your "holy day" is especially blessed.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Thanksgiving Week

Today I am on my way to Colorado to spend the week with my mom and sister's family. Look for my travel updates, the fun stories I uncover along the way and the grace of God I see in lives of others on Twitter and Facebook. And because Dineen's mother is visiting this week, we think we would like to shake things up a bit and depart from our regular posting schedule.

We may post here three or four times a day about giving thanks or sharing thanks or perhaps, we will remain quiet.

However we both agree that we truly have heart's and lives that are abundant and filled with the gifts of God. We are thankful and give the Lord, Almighty all honor and glory for the great things He has done and provided in the last 12 months.

We also know that so many of you also feel the same way. So we are asking you to honor the Lord with us and share what you are thankful for. It can be for things like your home, or a fuzzy blanket, the baptism of one of your children. Perhaps you glimpsed God or came to understand Him in a new and powerful way. 

You give God glory when you praise Him. Praise Him this season and watch Him show up. We will be checking in and adding to this conversation of praise this week. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. 

If you are unequally yoked, take heart. Make Thanksgiving a joy and a day where your faith is present. Take the hands of those around your table and you say grace this Thursday.

Be blessed, Lynn and Dineen.

Weekend Devo — Thankful for YOU!

Dear Friends,

Lynn and I are so blessed to be a part of your lives and Thanksgiving is a great time to tell you that. We are continually humbled that God uses us and you to create an amazing community to help a very specific need. We are honored that you invite us to share in your lives and so inspired and blessed by your comments.

It is a privilege for us to be on this journey with you. So, let us take this opportunity to tell you thank you. Thank you for allowing us to be here serving you. Thank you for interacting with us and others. Thank you for sharing your own wisdom and journey with the S.U.M. community.

We pray your Thanksgiving is blessed with the richness that comes from knowing we are part of a holy and heavenly family that will one day be united with our Savior. We pray your day is blessed with the love of family and friends. We pray your Thanksgiving is full of thankfullness for whatever God is doing in your lives.

No matter where we are, let us be thankful for God. He is mighty, present and strong. We are not alone in this journey.

Praying and believing with you!
Dineen

The Rock Shouts Out

I have often wondered about a simple sentence in Luke 19. 

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

I have always wondered how rocks could possibly shout praises to God. I thought about how strange it would be to see rocks speaking out as a witness for God.

Well, I have now witnessed this in living color. Don't ever doubt God's Word because it is true. It is True. It is true.

Read my account of this passage coming to life in 2010 at Laced With Grace: The Rock Shouts Out.

Have a blessed day. I will see you over there. Lynn

In November we are meeting up with Laurie of Women Taking A Stand and then over to Grace Alone in December and back here in January.

It's Thankful Thursday and as Thanksgiving Day is one week away, I have many random thanks to credit to our Lord.

• Turkey and stuffing. Yum and eee.
• A trip to Colorado. I hope it snows. It was 80 degrees here in Southern California today. I miss the cold weather this time of year.
• I will be spoiled by my mother for an entire week. Sleeping in, eating out, going to the movies. Shopping. Going to the movies some more. I love the movies better than shopping.
• A 5K on Thanksgiving Day. So thankful that I am healthy and can run.
• Our book, Winning Him Without Words. This is our love offering to Jesus.
• The privilege to pray for all of you who need hope for your spiritually mismatched marriage.
• My husband, my hero.
• My daughter, Caitie and my son Brad and his girlfriend, Jenna. All of you teach me so much about love.
• My dog. He's cute.
• Bible Study. ~Breaking Free concluded today. It was a humble privilege to watch as women found freedom from a life-time of crippling bondage. (Satan, you are put on notice, there is more freedom ahead for God's children.)
• Dineen Miller. My BFF and writing buddy.
• My friends here at SUM and 1P3. You enrich my life beyond description.

I could go on and on. I must tell you about the One that makes all these riches possible.

Jesus Christ.

He is the reason I live and breathe. I worship Him. I love Him. 

Be blessed and Happy TT, Lynn

PS. If you have ever wondered if the Rocks cry out..... Then stop back tomorrow because I saw it happen for real and I will tell you this unbelievable story. Hugs, Lynn