Consider it great joy when you face trials, afflictions, testing, and troubles of any kind, for the testing of your faith will lead to perseverance and resilience being built into you (James 1:2-4). Endure and persevere until the day of the second coming of our Lord and Savior, when we, the children of God, will be made perfect and complete in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Are afflictions, trials, and troubles part of God’s will for our lives? Troubles, pain, tribulations, and distress are waves God uses to lead us to the rock that is steadfast and immovable like a ship being led to its destination (Psalm 61:2). Christ is our Lord and Savior, our heavenly friend who leads us through thorny paths to a joyful end in heaven.
In all seasons and times, rejoice in the Lord, for He is a faithful God who will not reject, forsake, or turn away anyone who returns to Him, repents, and places their faith in Him as their Lord and Savior (Philippians 4:4; Hebrews 13:5). He will not snuff out a smoldering wick nor break a bruised reed but will gather every wheat into His barn and sweep all the chaff into burning fire with His winnowing fork (Matthew 12:20; Matthew 3:12). Christ was delivered to the cross for our transgressions and was raised alive for our justification (Romans 4:25).
As it is written, “He has forgiven all our transgressions for His name’s sake and forgives all our sins” (1 John 2:12). He has redeemed us as His dearly loved and fully acceptable children; in His sight, the blood of Jesus covers us from head to toe.
As it is written, “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love, He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22-23).
This is the day Christ rose again from the dead; so we rejoice in all our afflictions, troubles, and trials, confident that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the weight of eternal glory to come in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:18).
We pray that today we believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord who is ever present with us in all our troubles. His rod and staff comfort and protect us every day (Psalm 23:4). We pray that we continue to live our lives in Him who loves us and died for us and that we would live not for ourselves but for Him who died to redeem us from our sins and offer everlasting life in the presence of our Father in heaven (Galatians 2:20; John 3:16).