At every stage of our lives we have tests to meet, problems to face and circumstances to overcome. What is your plan for meeting these challenges in life, for dealing with these things over which we seem to have little or no control? Amid storms and losses, goals, and progress and all the things you have to be grateful for, it is still all too easy to struggle with find meaning and purpose. Life can be unrelenting. You must make ends meet, navigate family relationships, and find friends. You have to balance giving and receiving, define your role in church and school, workplace and community, even the world. The only hope is to know that there is a God who made you and the universe, to know that He loves you and He has a plan for you. Life is a test of faith.
Faith In Our Blessed Hope
God knows we will be tested in many ways throughout our life but He reminds us that He is able to bring blessing and comfort in all circumstances. He himself is our Blessed Hope.
Engaging with life is a battle, and that battle requires faith. You have a choice every day to take a stand. The bigger the stand, the more you will need God's comfort and sustaining strength. Your faith will be tested. You will experience the suffering of the world. You will have to pick a side and often you will have to pick a fight.
The apostle Peter wrote, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6–7).
Victory is already ours thanks to God's incredible provision. We are heirs of His kingdom! What inexpressible joy full of glory! All God asks is for us to accept His gift. That is our test of faith.
We learn through the experiences of abundance and poverty, triumph and tragedy, gains and losses, trials and temptations, suffering and blessing. God takes what is sinful and remakes it into righteousness. Weakness He makes into strength. What is vile He makes holy. It is joy to experience transformation at God's hand. Our own ingenuity and best effort cannot bring the same joy. Only full trust in God can.
Call to Action
Will you put your faith in Him today to help you face the world and all the foes in it?
All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
