Choosing Joy in the Midst of Trials

 
When life seems to bring insurmountable challenges, it’s easy to ask ourselves if God is really there. Questions like, “If God really loves me, why can’t I feel Him near?” or “If God really cares about me, why would He have me go through such a difficult time?,” can plague our thoughts to the point of feeling hopeless. Although it can be difficult to imagine, God is with you and He does love you! We pray the article below will give you a new perspective on how to Choose Joy and experience God’s love in the midst of life’s trials.
 

Giving Thanks In All Things

Dr. Tony Evans, The Urban Alternative

You exist for God. You are His special creation. He formed you and He made you because He loves you. The reason you are to get up each and every morning is to fulfill the purpose that God has for your life. And it is a great purpose – a wonderful purpose. In fact, God tells you in Jeremiah 29:11, that He has a “good plan” for you when you seek Him and His will for your life.

God has a good plan just for you.

The God who created you for Himself has never made any mistakes. There have been no failures or flaws in His plan for you. Yes, there are trials that you may have to endure. But the negative realities that you may be facing, or have faced, will work together for good if you love God, draw near to God … experience God. He promises.

God’s word tells us that, “in all these things (trials, struggles, emptiness, pain) we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Do you know something? The most important word in that verse is often overlooked. I must have preached on that verse a hundred times in the last 30 years, but I never saw it until just this month. I was studying this passage in relation to my own life, and it is as if God took a yellow highlighter and made this word come alive.

You might be thinking that I am going to say “conquer” or “overwhelmingly” is the most important word. Actually, no. The most important word is “in.” Because we are often tempted to believe that God has promised to keep us “from” the trials, tests and pains of life and, then, when He doesn’t, we feel let down, discouraged or defeated. But God never promised to deliver us from all things. He has promised that “in all these things” we will overwhelmingly conquer. We will experience Him. We will receive the benefits and blessings that come only through our deep and meaningful experience of Him.

Friend, this powerful principle has warmed my heart, and I want it to warm yours, too. Life is too important and too short to miss out on all that God has for you.

To learn more, visit. www.tonyevans.org and tune in to our The Alternative View segments weekdays at 3:50 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.