I am reading a book that has two paragraphs I want to quote to begin my column today. I have read the passage to a few friends who it seemed to encourage, so I want to do the same for all of you that read my column.

He begins with a quote from Thomas Paine stating, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Written in the late 1700s at the start of the American Revolution, he was instrumental in inspiring the demand for independence from Great Britain. Rick Joyner then goes on to say, “That is a good thing. James wrote that we should ‘count it all joy when you encounter various trials.’ Peter wrote that the test of our faith is more valuable than gold. So, if we have a biblical perspective we will get as excited by a new trial as we would if we had just found a bag of gold!

It will help us to navigate through these times if we understand that these times are meant to try us, because God considers us that valuable. The greatest prophets, the greatest souls, and the greatest leaders have always arisen during the darkest times. If we are alive for these times then we were made for them. God does not allow hard times to punish us, but rather to make us into what He has called us to be. He allows them because He loves us and thinks so highly of us that He is preparing us for leadership in His coming Kingdom.” (The Second American Revolution/Civil War by Rick Joyner pg.81)

I don’t know about you but I am not yet in that place where I get that excited about the current trial I am going through. No trial or test feels as though I have just won the lottery (or inherited a million dollars). I know what the Word of God says about trials, so I try very hard to remain thankful and trusting while I am enduring whatever it is that the Lord is going to use to prepare me to reign in life!

Having this understanding does help to put things in perspective. I do not have the ability to endure some of the trials that others may have to go through, but neither do they have that grace upon them to go through some of the trials I have come through. Each of us has our own journey to walk through but the same principles from God’s Word are true, no matter who you are. He has told us that “we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:37) Read verses 31-39 for a clearer understanding. His love will keep us through any trial or tribulation we will face.

One of my favorite passages concerning Jesus is found in the book of Hebrews. The writer encourages us to “look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) I believe that the “joy” He experienced was us! He knew that when He finished His course and purpose on earth, He would have paid the ultimate price not only for our eternal salvation but to restore us to a place of fellowship with the Godhead. When we are facing difficult circumstances, we not only have a Comforter but One who has been “touched with the feelings of our infirmities” — one who can identify with every situation we might find ourselves facing. He endured far more than we could ever imagine, let alone go through successfully. He did it for us because of His great love for us and the desire to redeem us back into a place of right relationship with Himself.

One of the things that seem to be lacking in the majority of the body of Christ is the ability to identify with the sufferings of others. Many of us have some natural sympathy and some of us are gifted with mercy but we tend to leave that “ministry” to those who seem better equipped in one way or another. 

 Jesus did not differentiate between the rich and poor, the gifted and those who seem to have never found their true identity in Him. Wherever there was a need, He met it. His disciples were both working class and wealthy. He met with prostitutes and Pharisees. He prayed for the sick — beggars by the road and wealthy lepers. He identified with the sufferings of mankind and then actually took upon Himself every sickness, disease, curse and sin for the sake of humanity.

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

David had many experiences with the Lord over his life time and we see him over and over again putting his faith in God for the outcome. Circumstances were not always good for David but he would always come back to the Lord and trust Him to work things out. 

After running from Saul for many years, he ended up in Ziklag (see 1 Samuel 30) with his army and all of their families. While the men were away, the enemy came into their camp and stole everything – all of their possessions including their wives, children and livestock. They were beside themselves with grief which turned into bitterness toward David. They were ready to stone him. 

 Scriptures state that David encouraged himself in the Lord. He enquired of the Lord what he should do and the Lord gave him a specific battle plan. As the Lord promised him, he and his men were able to recover all – everything that their enemy had stolen from them.

What I want to emphasize today is that no matter how bad our current circumstances are, God will use them ultimately for His purposes in our life. Even Job who had a wife and friends who gave him bad counsel during the trials he was going through was able to say at the end of that time that he did not understand God’s ways until after he had been through these awful trials of his faith.  

The end result was “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5) It was after this that the Lord told him to pray for his friends and then the Lord restored to him all that he had lost. The scriptures state that He blessed Job more in his latter days than at the beginning.

None of us fully understand why we may go through certain things. The apostle Paul as well as other writers of our New Testament all conclude that the Lord uses our trials to ultimately bring us to a clearer understanding of His ways. None of them were without their own personal challenges and most of them died a martyr’s death. 

 We are “training for reigning” and we can have confidence in our Commander in Chief that He will use every trial we go through for His glory and our ultimate good.