25 Transformed By Trouble

 

 

 

PURPOSE # 3

 

 

You Were Created To Become Like Christ

 

 

Let your roots grow down into Christ

and draw up nourishment from him.

See that you go on growing in the Lord,

and become strong and vigorous in the truth.

Colossians 2:7

 

 

25 Transformed by Trouble 

 

 

For our light and momentary troubles

are achieving for us an eternal glory

that far outweights them all.

2 Corinthians 4:17

 

It is the fire of suffering that

brings forth the gold of godliness.

Madame Guyon

 

God has a purpose behind every problem.

He uses circumstances to develop our character.

Jesus warned us that we would have problems in the world.

John 16:33

Every time you solve one, another is waiting to take its place.

"Don't be bewildered or surprised

when you go through the fiery trials ahead,

for this is no strange, unusual thing

that is going to happen to you."

1 Peter 4:12

 

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

he rescues those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:18

Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship

will likely be in your darkest days—

when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned,

when you're out of options, when the pain is great—

and you turn to God alone.

 

God could have kept Joseph

out of jail,

Genesis 39:20-22

kept

Daniel out of the lion's den,

Daniel 6;16-23

kept Jeremiah

from being tossed into a slimy pit,

Jeremiah 38:6

kept Paul

from being shipwrecked three thimes,

2 Corinthians 11:25

and kept the three Hebrew young men

from being thrown into the blazing furnace

Daniel 3:1-26

—but he didn't.

He let those problems happen,

and every one of those persons was drawn closer to God as a result.

 

"We felt we were doomed to die

and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves;

but that was good,

for them we put everything into the hands of God,

who alone could save us."

2 Corinthians 1;9

Because every day of your life was written

on God's calendar before you were born,

Psalm 139:16

Everything that happens to you has spiritual significance.

Everything!

 

Romans 8:28—29 explains why:

"We know that

God causes everything to work together 

for the good of those who love God

and are called accoring to his purpose for them.

For God knew his people in advance,

and he chose them to become like his Son."

Romans 8:28-29

 

 

Understanding Romans 8:28—29

 

 

"Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven."

Matthew 6:10

To fully understand Romans 8:28—29

you must consider it phrase by phrase.

"We know": Our hope in difficult times is not based on

positive thinkings, wishful thinking, or natural optimism.

It is a certainty based on the truths that

God is in complete control of our universe and that he loves us.

 

"that God causes": There's a Grand Designer behind everything.

Your life is not a result of random chance, fate, or luck.

There is a master plan. History is His story.

We make mistakes, but God never does.

God cannot make a mistake—because he is God.

 

"everything": God's plan for your life involves all that happens to you—

including your mistakes, your sins, and your hurts.

It includes illness, debt, disasters, divorve, and death of loved ones.

God can bring good out of the worst evil.

He did at Calvary.

 

"to work together": Not separately of independently.

The events in your life work together in God's plan.

They are not isolated acts, but interdependent parts

of the process to make you like Christ.

 

"for the good": This does not say that everything in life is good.

Much of what happens in our world is evil and bad,

but God specializes in bringing good out of it.

In the official family tree of Jesus Christ,

Matthew 1:1-16

four women are listed: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.

God's purpose is greater than our problems, our pain, and even our sin.

 

"of those who love God and are called": This promise is only for God's children.

All things work for bad for those living in opposition to God

 and insist on having their own way.

 

"according to his purpose": What is that purpose?

It is that we "become like his Son."

Everything God allows to happen in your life

is permitted for that purpose!

 

 

Building Christlike Character

 

 

Every problem is a character-building opportunity,

and the more difficult it is,

the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.

"We know that these troubles produce patience.

And patience produces character."

Romans 5:3-4

What happens outwardly in your life is

not as important as what happens inside you.

 

The Bible often compares trials to a metal refiner's fire

that burns away the impurities.

"These troubles come to prove

that your faith is pure.

This purity of faith is worth more than gold."

1 Peter 1:7a

"Under pressure,

your faith-life is forced into the open

and shows its true colors."

James 1;3

 

The Bible says Jesus "learned obedience through suffering"

and "was made perfect through suffering."

Hebrews 5:8-9

"We go through exactly

what Christ goes through.

If we go through the hard times with him,

then we're certainly going to go

through the good times with him!"

Romans 8:17

 

 

Responding To Problems As Jesus Would

 

 

Remember that God's plan is good.

"The plans I have for you [are]

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

"You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good."

Genesis 50:20

"It was for my own good

that I had such hard times."

Isaiah 38:17

"God is doing what is best for us,

 training us to live God's holy best."

Hebrews 12:10b

 

"Keep your eyes on Jesus,

our leader and instructor.

He was willing to die

a shameful death on the cross

because of the joy he knew

would be his afterwards."

Hebrews 12;2a

Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a Nazi death camp,

explained the power of focus:

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed.

If you look within, you'll be depressed.

But if you look at Christ, you'll at rest!"

 

Moses endured a life of problems

"because he was looking

ahead to his reward."

Hebrews 11:26

"Our present troubles are quite small

and won't last very long.

Yet they produce for us

an immeasurable great glory

that witll last forever!"

2 Corinthians 4:17

"If we are to share his golry,

we must also share his suffering.

What we suffer now is nothing compared

 to the glory he will give us later."

Romans 8:17-18

 

Rejoice and give thanks.

The Bible tells us to

"give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Rejoice in the Lord always."

Philippians 4:4

No matter what's happening, you can rejoice

in God's love, care, wisdom, power, and faithfulness.

 

"Be full of joy at that time,

because you have a great reward

waiting for you in heaven."

Luke 6:23

Jesus did it in the Incarnation, and his Spirit does it in us now.

God will never leave us on our own.

 

Refuse to give up.

Be patient and persistent.

"Let the process go on

until your endurance is full developed,

and you will find

that you have become men of mature character...

with no weak spots."

James 1:3-4

 

If you are facing trouble right now, don't ask, "Why me?"

Instead ask, "What do you want me to learn?"

Then trust God and keep on doing what's right.

"You need to stick it out,

staying with God's plan

so you'll be there for the promised completion."

Hebrews 10:35

 

Don't give up—grow up!

 

 

 

 

DAY TWENTY-FIVE

Thinking About My Purpose

 

 Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.

 

Verse to Remember: "When we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who love him,

who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8;28

 

Question to Consider: What problem in my life

has caused the greatest growth in me?

 

 

p 193~200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.purposedrivenlife.com