Should You be Thankful for Trouble?

When trouble hits your life, do you feel like you're the only one? It seems like whenever we (human beings) are going through a test or a trial, we think we are the only one and that's how it feels right? But, the truth is that we are far from alone in how we feel and we're not alone in dealing with trouble hitting our lives. I'm sure if you took a poll of those closest to you, you’d find that most, if not all, of your friends, family members and acquaintances are all having some type of trouble. And the bible is full of examples of prominent people going through difficult times. Let's take a look at King David.

In the book of I Samuel, Saul is a King without the Lord, Before David entered the scene, Saul had unseated himself as King and while he was still over the kingdom, God’s favor had moved from Saul and God had found David favorable and fit to replace Saul as King. Saul was initially fond of David (see I Samuel 16:21), but after David was elevated, the people began to cheer about the tens of thousands that David had killed vs. Saul’s thousands and Saul became jealous, so jealous that he plotted to kill David on multiple occasions.  David says to Jonathan, Saul’s son, “…What have I done? Of what am I guilty? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” ~ I Samuel 20:1b.  David could not understand what is was that he had done to provoke such hatred from Saul. I’m sure that David felt like the only one with trouble.  I am sure he felt alone, even though, his best friend Jonathan and his wife Mikal were there for him, after all Saul was not seeking to kill them.

As with David, when we are in the midst of trouble, it can feel like no one can really understands what it is that we are going through and support is great, but even with support there are times when we still feel like we are weathering the storm alone.  
How often have we found ourselves in the midst of trouble looking for the solution, unsure why we are even in this trouble?  And your trouble could be anything from debt to layoff to losing your home to something even more tragic, whatever the trouble, when it strikes the question usually is, “Lord, why me?”  But, perhaps the answer is “Why not you?”  Have you ever considered that God chose you for this trouble because he could trust you with it? Sounds absolutely nuts, right! But, for a moment let’s go back to David.  There is one part that you should know, Saul’s jealousy was a setup from the beginning! Remember David had already found favor with the Lord and Saul was basically warming the seat of the throne for David (Saul was out of position and out of favor), so Saul’s jealousy was part of the process to get David where he needed to be.  Have you ever thought that the trouble you (and I) are facing at this present moment is preparing us for greater?
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I often say to my son, nothing worth having comes easily and if you really think about it, you know how true that is.  When you get something easily you don’t care of it as well as you do something you worked hard for or toiled for.  Almost no one gets to the top without encountering some kind of resistance and the higher you go, the more resistance you have to go through.  So what am I telling you? I am telling you everything you are going through is going to work out for your good. In fact, the bible says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28 AMP.  What I am telling you (and telling me) is that every trial, every trouble, every issue, every challenge is all going to work out for your good.  God does not waste anything that happens in our lives and somewhere along the line, He will use this very trial to take you to a new level in Him or in life; or He will use it as a testimony to others or He will do both.  God is not going to waste any part of our trouble at all.
Friends, we all go through trouble (trials, challenges, issues) but be encouraged that:

1. You are not alone in your going through, someone is going through too and others have been where you are, maybe not in the exact trial, but we’ve all had to endure trouble.
2. God is forever with you.
3. God is going to use this trouble to for your good.
4. You will make it. David made it and so will you.

Blessings!
Liela

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