Using Trials Redemptively

Using Trials Redepmtively

The God of All Comfort -- 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11
3. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4. who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 8. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9.Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11. as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Today's passage of Scripture is longer than I normally post on this blog, but one that is important. For the past two days I have reflected on what our family went through this time last year.

When we face the trials of life, we often are perplexed and confused about why God allows us to walk through these dark valleys. Sometimes people never catch a glimpse of how God could ever use their pain and suffering redemptively.

But Paul in this passage teaches a powerful principle: one of the byproducts of trials is that we can share with others how God has worked in our lives during the suffering. God will often bring across our paths other men and women who are suffering so that we can bring comfort and encouragement.

I am sure that you have been in situations where someone has said, "Here is what I am going through -- you can't possibly understand." Then God opens the door for you to share what you have learned through your trial and suffering.

Several weeks ago, Laura, Jon and Tanner went back to Children's Hospital Boston to deliver baskets of goodies that they had put together for families on Eight South were Lindsay spent the last six weeks of her life.

One of the doctors told Laura that she was so wanting to give out her name and phone number to other parents of patients who were experiencing the pain and hurt that they experienced. Laura has been ministering to other parents through Lindsay's blog that is now over 69,000 hits.

While we may never understand all the whys and hows of life, we can be confident of this -- God will use your trials redemptively to help other hurting people. Will you make yourself available? If you are willing, you will be amazed at the doors of ministry that will open for you. Allow God to use you in the process. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 17; 1 Chronicles 1-3; John 5:25-47

Great Quote: Salt seasons, purifies, preserves. But somebody ought to remind us that salt also irritates. Real living Christianity rubs this world the wrong way.Vance Havner