Now What?Sample

When was the last time you went through tough times? The good news and bad news about tough times is that they come and they go. Life is full of ups and downs. A great thing about God is, he’s at work during both the ups and downs. ‘If I’d only known then what I know now.’ It would be nice to see the end from the beginning, but we can’t. Instead of writing off the tough times as seasons of failure, we may be encouraged to know that not all things bad are bad; in fact, some of them may be for the better. There’s a guy in the Bible named Joseph who would agree. Standing on the other side of a tough time, Joseph was able to say, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.’ (Genesis 50:20) Joseph receives what we all want, a dream from God, and a sense of calling on his life. What he doesn’t realize is how little his dream is about him and how much it's about God’s plan for his people. Looking at Joseph as an example, we see that God’s always at work on at least two levels - what he’s doing in you, for your benefit, and what he’s doing through you, for the benefit of those around you. His plan for you is not all about you. With so much need, so much pain, and so many people to help, the possibilities are endless. What began as a dream ends up being a twenty-year process of God shaping Joseph’s character, testing his heart, and positioning him for a significant moment in the history of God’s greater purpose. The truth is that God’s positioning of you is often accompanied with pain. But when God positions you for his purposes, the resulting pain can be purposeful. Maybe that’s why James 1:2-4 encourages us to ‘Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds…’ Your path of pain can be your place of preparation. When trials come your way, don’t look for the way out or a way around what God wants you to walk right through. He wants you to face your trials, not run from them. Knowing that God is using our circumstances to prepare us for what’s ahead should encourage us to stay the course. Consider This: What recent trial has God brought you through? How did he use it to make you stronger? How does that help you face your current or future trials with more joy?