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GOD is at work

The difficulties we face will either defeat us or develop us, depending on how we respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants us to use difficulties for good in our lives. They react foolishly and resent their difficulties rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants to use the difficulties in our lives:

1. God uses difficulties to DIRECT us. Sometimes God must light a fire under us to get us moving. Difficulties often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change our ways (Proverbs 20:30).

2. God uses difficulties to INSPECT us. People are like tea bags. If you want to know what’s inside
them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do difficulties reveal about you? Remember the words of James who encouraged his audience to count it all joy, when they encountered trials. (James 1:2-3).

3. God uses difficulties to CORRECT us. Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child our parents told us not to touch a hot stove, but we probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something like health, money, or a relationship by losing it. “My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:71-72).

4. God uses difficulties to PROTECT us. A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Think of a scenario where someone is fired for refusing to do something un-ethical. His unemployment was a problem-but it maybe saved him from being convicted and sent to prison when management’s actions were eventually discovered. How about the story of Joseph? He was sold into slavery, which was not pleasant but saved him from the original plan to murder him. Joseph recognized this when he said “… ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good …” (Genesis 50:20).

5. God uses difficulties to PERFECT us. Difficulties, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you are going to take with you into eternity. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

God is at work in our lives-even when you do not recognize it or understand it. However, it is much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him. Let us take up the work set before us and realize that difficulties are not red lights. We do not need to stop just because we have difficulties.
We may not have the explanation as to why, but we have His promise that He will be with us, and He will help us overcome.

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