The Benefit of Trials

The Benefit of Trials

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4: 17

It seems like so many of you, as well as our KESWICK family are going through tough stuff. One of our guys was hospitalized tonight with bronchitis, viral meningitis and Lyme. Talk about three tough ones. Wow.

These words from Fenelon, coupled with this passage from 2 Corinthians 4 were really needed by me ...

You have some difficult trial to bear but you need them since God has allowed these events to happen. He knows how to select them. You could not have picked for yourself what God brings into your life through the cross. The cross that you would pick out would build your self-will instead of breaking it down.

There are times when everything in life seems to be a trial. Sometimes there is only suffering. Still, the heaviest cross must be carried in peace. Sometimes the cross can neither be carried or dragged. Then you can only fall down beneath it, overwhelmed and exhausted. I pray that God may spare you from suffering as much as possible.

Remember that God is not unaware of your suffering. He allows your suffering. See that he alone knows what is best for you. Live by faith as you embrace your trials. Confidently trust in God, even when you do not see what He is doing. Trust that God, with great compassion, gives you trials in proportion to the help that He wants to bring to you. There is no doubt that the life of faith is the most penetrating of all deaths.

You complain about your inward darkness and poverty of spirit. Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." It is good for you to see your weakness, but don't excuse it. Remain simple and low before God, and He will bring you peace, gentleness, long suffering, and contentment even in your trouble.

I needed to hear those words. How about you? I'd love to hear from you -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 14; Psalm 10-12; Acts 19:1-20

Great Quote: “When we as Christians sin, we can react in one of three ways: 1) We can become hardened to our sin. 2) We can sink into utter despair and say, ‘Its all over.’ I’ve known Christians who have spent twenty years despairing over one sin….the only right course of action for us as Christians is to 3) become increasingly sensitive to our sin, but also increasingly to know the forgiveness that is ours on the basis of the blood of Christ—to have the assurance that, if Jesus died for me was I was before my salvation, how much more He must love me now!” Francis Schaeffer, The Finished Work of Christ.