painful grace

A friend once told me that hindsight vision is 20/20. When looking back on past challenging experiences and circumstances, it is usually easy to discern a lesson learned, a purpose for that particular trial, some good fruit out of a season of pruning.
But what about when you’re in the midst of adversity? How then does one interpret, analyze, discern the purpose of their difficulty?
I am not familiar with physical or circumstantial affliction. However, by God’s grace I have some experience with spiritual and emotional affliction.

Yes, I did say “by God’s grace”.
I say His grace, because I am increasingly aware and convinced of the fact that trials are not necessarily a curse, but are actually a blessing, however oddly disguised.
Psalm 107 opens with giving thanks to God for His enduring mercy. Skip to verses 25-30 and the psalmist says that God “commands and raises the stormy wind” that rises against us and causes our souls to “melt” in the face of trouble.

Why does God allow this?
Because then we will “cry out to the Lord in [our] trouble, and He brings [us] out of the distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still…”
God allows trials out of love. He allows sorrow and pain in various forms to build and shape our character into that of our compassionate High Priest, the suffering Servant, the Son of God who learned obedience through suffering, even to the point of dying a criminal’s death (Hebrews 5:7-8).
Our perfect and loving Father allows affliction also because it forces us to cry out to Him. If life was always a cakewalk, would we have need of the Almighty Saviour? I know that when my life is the easiest, I am the most prone to neglect my relationship with God. When I am overwhelmed by trials, my dependence on Him increases, my cries to Him are more frequent, and I seek comfort and shelter in His presence more earnestly. How He delights to be the Hiding Place for His children!

If you are in the midst of trial, look up. Fix your eyes on Jesus. His eyes are on you, and He’s interceding for you.

God cares deeply about each one of your painful past experiences and each one of your current struggles. We must always remember that receiving His Truth, not running away from it, is what leads to clarity and victory.

~ Leslie Ludy ~