Bitter or Better?

Dearest Ones,

One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of James. I love James because he doesn't beat around the bush but jumps straight in, challenging us with what it means to really live for God. Consider the first few verses of James;

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides."

"You know that under pressure, your faith is forced into the open and shows its true colors."

"So don't try to get out of anything."

It has to make you wonder if James is really with it. How can you be joyful in affliction? How can you be thankful in trials? How can you keep the faith in times of trouble? But then, just about everything in the Bible is the opposite of the way most of us in this world think. Examples:

"The last shall be first."
"The poor will become rich in the kingdom of heaven."
"The humble will have the highest place."

The lowly shepherds were the first to see Jesus! The poor beggar, Lazarus, was rewarded with heaven, while the rich man who chose to ignore him at his gate, will spend eternity in hell.

How does this work out in the area of our trials and troubles? With God, problems are not meant to break us - rather they are the making of us.

We find in Peter 1:6-6, agreement with James when Peter says:

"...though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These come so that your faith will become stronger."

Both James and Peter are saying that facing trials is the key to growing in faith.Both are trying to help us see what we really believe about God. Do you believe that:
- God is holding you, He is for you, not against you.
- God will not allow you to suffer beyond what you can bear.
- even though you may be walking in the valley of death, God is with you.
- with God a better day is coming, the storm will soon be calmed.
- whatever happens in life, a better day is coming, where there will be no more sickness, sadness or tears.
- God deserves our trust because in all things He works for the good of those who trust Him.

Trials will either make you bitter or better. All of us have great trials - behind every smile is a tragedy. If you want to become bitter, then say things like, "Why me?" "There is no hope for me because of my past life and the way I was treated." "I don't have a chance." I don't think any of us want to live this way.

If you want the trials to make you better, then, say things like:
"God, I know that a better day is coming." " God, use these present trials to make me more like Jesus." With thankfulness and joy, say: "God, I know that you are always with me, to bring comfort, peace and hope."

Has God recently placed a challenging situation in your life? Are you going through something right now that is stretching you beyond what you think you can endure? Life is not all about the things that happen to us, but rather how we react to those things.

In life we will go through trials, and when this occurs we have two choices. We can get bitter and blame God or allow God to make us better!

Dear God: Forgive us for always trying to figure things out for ourselves. When troubling times confront us, teach us to be better, teach us to lean on you and not to carry those burdens ourselves. Show us , God, how to bring you honor during our tough times, so we may praise you, even during our storms.

I love you so much!
Sister Francelle