"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
God knows our lives. He is very conscious of our weaknesses and our strengths, and He has promised not to allow trials to come to us that are not common to everyone, but will "in" the trial be our sufficiency, strength, and comfort to carry us through. I'm sure you have often wondered, "Lord, why has this come upon me?"
The other day we had our piano tuned, and I was fascinated watching the piano tuner. The first thing he did was to activate his tuning fork, which was the "true standard pitch" by which all of the notes were to be measured. He struck the first note, then again, and again, until the piano was adjusted to correspond exactly to the pitch of the tuning fork. I thought he would never stop hitting those notes! He went through the entire keyboard, making every note correspond in its true pitch. I thought, Lord, the trials that you allow us to go through are like that piano. You are trying to align our lives with your will, plan, and purpose, but so many notes are out of tune. The Lord has to keep "banging away" at our lives to bring them to the "true standard" of His will.
Trials are also needed to "stretch" our faith, to drive our stakes of faith deep with confident trust in Christ, and to challenge us to walk in unwavering obedience. You might say, "I really don't need those trials. I can trust the Lord without them." The truth is, when our way is always smooth, we begin to rely upon "our resources" and finally think, "I can handle this; I'm doing pretty well on my own, and I really don't need the Lord." Paul tells us, "For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son he receives" (Hebrews 12:6). Therefore, our adversities and trials come with plan and purpose. Notice carefully that it is "in" the trial that God makes a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
"Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was" (Exodus 20:21). It is "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). It was "in" the many adversities and trials that Paul suffered and endured, that he learned to be content. It was "in" his weakness that he was made strong; it was when there was "no way out" and God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). What wonderful words of assurance and comfort He gives us in this verse: But GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will IN the trial make a way of escape.
We grow in faith and maturity when we go through the trial with Christ, rather than being delivered from the trial by Christ. In His time, in His way, He perfects His will, and will be our sufficiency! God is never too late nor does He ever come with too little. There are no circumstances that are beyond God's power and there is nothing too trivial for His love. DARE TO BELIEVE GOD "IN" THE TRIAL. HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS OWN! "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission
God knows our lives. He is very conscious of our weaknesses and our strengths, and He has promised not to allow trials to come to us that are not common to everyone, but will "in" the trial be our sufficiency, strength, and comfort to carry us through. I'm sure you have often wondered, "Lord, why has this come upon me?"
The other day we had our piano tuned, and I was fascinated watching the piano tuner. The first thing he did was to activate his tuning fork, which was the "true standard pitch" by which all of the notes were to be measured. He struck the first note, then again, and again, until the piano was adjusted to correspond exactly to the pitch of the tuning fork. I thought he would never stop hitting those notes! He went through the entire keyboard, making every note correspond in its true pitch. I thought, Lord, the trials that you allow us to go through are like that piano. You are trying to align our lives with your will, plan, and purpose, but so many notes are out of tune. The Lord has to keep "banging away" at our lives to bring them to the "true standard" of His will.
Trials are also needed to "stretch" our faith, to drive our stakes of faith deep with confident trust in Christ, and to challenge us to walk in unwavering obedience. You might say, "I really don't need those trials. I can trust the Lord without them." The truth is, when our way is always smooth, we begin to rely upon "our resources" and finally think, "I can handle this; I'm doing pretty well on my own, and I really don't need the Lord." Paul tells us, "For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son he receives" (Hebrews 12:6). Therefore, our adversities and trials come with plan and purpose. Notice carefully that it is "in" the trial that God makes a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
"Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was" (Exodus 20:21). It is "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). It was "in" the many adversities and trials that Paul suffered and endured, that he learned to be content. It was "in" his weakness that he was made strong; it was when there was "no way out" and God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). What wonderful words of assurance and comfort He gives us in this verse: But GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will IN the trial make a way of escape.
We grow in faith and maturity when we go through the trial with Christ, rather than being delivered from the trial by Christ. In His time, in His way, He perfects His will, and will be our sufficiency! God is never too late nor does He ever come with too little. There are no circumstances that are beyond God's power and there is nothing too trivial for His love. DARE TO BELIEVE GOD "IN" THE TRIAL. HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS OWN! "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission
These devotional posts are always so helpful to me. Thank you, Louise!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for visiting my blog and for your encouraging comments. I appreciate them so much!
This is what I needed tonight.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Love,Trish