A Perspective: Life’s Trials and Tribulations – Bill DeGroot

A PERSPECTIVE: LIFE’S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

-Bill DeGroot

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Some of us know this because they have experienced the good things, some the bad and for most of us who are mature in Christ, having walked with him for many years, both good and bad.

We don’t have to look very far into the truths of God’s word to see our spiritual blessings in Christ, (Eph. 1:3-10 the riches of His grace according to the purpose of His will), to know how much He loves us and His plans for us, our inheritance until we acquire possession of it in the fullness of time, to be united with Him in heaven, in glory for all eternity. What a comfort it is to also read in the following verses that inform us that He, Christ our Lord, is always in control of this world, as He has been from the dawn of creation.

Heb. 1:3 “… and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

Col. 1:17 “…and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

We have good reason to trust Him and put our faith in Him because the Bible tells us so.

If events in this world are a little scary and uncertain, we can take comfort in the promises God has given us through Christ in his Word.

He didn’t promise us that life would be a bed of roses or even easy, but He did promise that He would resurrect us and that we would be with Him forever! We know our future indeed! So if your life’s work be too easy or “sweet” as the included poem suggests, then “what would your glory be?”

If God is subjecting us to trials and tribulations in this life perhaps He is remaking us into a new creation of spiritual beauty through our lives to prepare us for eternal residency in His new heaven. Consider for a moment what He has shown us as an object lesson through the oyster. Beginning with a grain of sand, trespassed within his shell, this invader, very irritating to the oyster, he proceeds to coat it with “mother of pearl”, an iridescent rainbow covered substance, in his attempt to remove the irritation. The result, over time, is a beautiful pearly gem and a joy to behold! In the same manner, God is creating “pearly people” of us through the trials, difficulties and even traumatic experiences of our lives, coating us with His grace, His mother of pearl, over our lifetime so that Christ will have the gem like quality of His character in us to present to the Father for eternity.

So as we go through the trials in this life and its daily irritants, please choose to allow God’s grace to transform you into the people Christ wants you to be, reflecting His character to the glory of the Father.

I leave you with this life poem of a Christian life perspective written by an English Pastor, Richard Baxter, 1616-1691.

LIFE

Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad,
That I may long obey;
If short, yet why should I be sad
To welcome endless day?
Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than He went through before;
He that unto God’s kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet
Thy blessèd face to see;
For if Thy work on earth be sweet
What will Thy glory be!
Then I shall end my sad complaints
And weary sinful days,
And join with the triumphant saints
That sing my Savior’s praise.
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But ’tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him.