Today’s Devotional: “Transformational Trials”

No matter what we’re going through, it doesn’t have to be discouraging. Trials no longer need to send us to the dungeon of despair or the swamp of sadness, or send us spiraling into hopelessness.

Instead, we can face life’s trials and tribulations knowing that, no matter what, God will work them out for our good.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

We can face life’s trials and tribulations knowing that God has a purpose and a plan behind them.

The Bible says, “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Paul explains the great benefits God works through the trials and tribulations of life.

The Greek word ‘tribulation’ primarily means pressure and refers to the pressures life brings. When Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33b), He meant that life will be especially hard, especially for believers. But we don’t have to worry because Jesus has overcome the world, and through Him, we have peace.

Paul then adds to Jesus’s promise by saying that through such suffering, affliction, and pressure, God is working out even more, namely perseverance, character, and hope, which we have seen is the confident assurance and expectation that God will keep His word and promise.

In a Superman movie, he takes a lump of coal and transforms it into a diamond. What may help us through these trials is to see ourselves as lumps of coal that God is pressing so we’ll emerge as diamonds, not in the rough, but beautifully shaped and reflecting the many facets of God in our lives.