"Why God Tries Our Faith
"Why God Tries Our Faith
1 Peter 5:6-10
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
A good reporter asks six basic questions when investigating a story: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? With regard to growing faith, we already know the answer to some of those questions. God builds our trust anywhere and anytime. Tomorrow we’ll study how He does this work, but today we focus on why strong faith is important to the Lord.
Faith trials draw our attention to Him. Sometimes worldly pursuits coax us to drift away from Jesus. If we encounter a situation for which we have no solution, our wandering focus snaps back to Him as we begin to pray and look for a way out of the trial.
• Faith trials teach endurance. We develop the stamina to bear up under heavy loads without discouragement because we trust that God will see us through. He increases our capacity by applying slight pressure. When we prove we can handle a little, He adds more, constantly working on our witness till we shine like gold.
• Faith trials train us for higher service. We must endure and keep our attention on Him so that we are prepared to work anywhere in His kingdom. God designs opportunities for every believer, shifting us to greater areas of service as we grow in faith.
• Faith trials glorify God. The greatest praise we can give to our heavenly Father is to walk hopefully through a dark valley. We are a living example of His faithfulness and trustworthiness for everyone to see.
As our faith increases, others witness the reality of Christ in our life. We also benefit personally by having greater confidence and anticipation of His blessing."
by Dr. Charles Stanley
"Why God Tries Our Faith
1 Peter 5:6-10
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
A good reporter asks six basic questions when investigating a story: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? With regard to growing faith, we already know the answer to some of those questions. God builds our trust anywhere and anytime. Tomorrow we’ll study how He does this work, but today we focus on why strong faith is important to the Lord.
Faith trials draw our attention to Him. Sometimes worldly pursuits coax us to drift away from Jesus. If we encounter a situation for which we have no solution, our wandering focus snaps back to Him as we begin to pray and look for a way out of the trial.
• Faith trials teach endurance. We develop the stamina to bear up under heavy loads without discouragement because we trust that God will see us through. He increases our capacity by applying slight pressure. When we prove we can handle a little, He adds more, constantly working on our witness till we shine like gold.
• Faith trials train us for higher service. We must endure and keep our attention on Him so that we are prepared to work anywhere in His kingdom. God designs opportunities for every believer, shifting us to greater areas of service as we grow in faith.
• Faith trials glorify God. The greatest praise we can give to our heavenly Father is to walk hopefully through a dark valley. We are a living example of His faithfulness and trustworthiness for everyone to see.
As our faith increases, others witness the reality of Christ in our life. We also benefit personally by having greater confidence and anticipation of His blessing."
by Dr. Charles Stanley