What do you do when your world caves in? How does a Christian respond when hardship come? All of us will challenge those questions sooner or later. It may not be from behind prison bars, but we will all go through deep trials eventually. When that happens, everything we believe will be put on the line. In the first 9 verses of 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul wrote to some new believers who suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves in great difficulty. They were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. The text shows how Paul reassured them and encouraged them to stand firm in trials. I see 6 truths about trials that can help us hang in there when difficulties come.
Your particular trial doesn’t matter as much as how you respond to it. Often we focus intently on the details of our difficulties as if our problem was the most important thing in the world. It may seem so at the time, but it’s not really. God is much more concerned with how we respond than with the trial itself. Someone has said, “God will take care of what you go through; you take care of how you go through it.”
That means that whatever trial or difficulty you are going through today has been tailor made for you by a loving heavenly Father. He appoints tough times for our good and His glory. Everything that comes to you has already passed through the hands of God and has received His stamp of approval. Paul plainly says that we can overcome our trials by faith. What kind of faith does he have in mind?
Faith in God’s Character—that He is good and makes no mistakes Faith in God’s Word—that it is true no matter what happens to us Faith in God’s Purpose—that He is conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ Faith in God’s Promise—that He will never give us more than we can bear Faith in God’s Presence—that He is with us in the darkest moments of life Faith in God’s Power—that He can deliver us from every temptation There is one other kind of faith that will help us in hard times. That is the shared faith of God’s people. So many believers struggle because they try to handle their problems alone. But God never meant for you to walk through the lonely valley by yourself.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 3:4-8
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