PROBLEMS AND TRIALS HELP US DEVELOPE ENDURANCE

 

Thursday, December 3, 2020 The Choice to Rejoice LISTEN   “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” —Romans 5:3 Everywhere the apostle Paul went, there was either a riot or a revival.  Paul never had a boring day in his life that we know of. There was always something going on with him. Yet Paul didn’t merely endure these experiences but rejoiced in them. He wrote,  “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (Romans 5:3–4 NLT). Paul was describing the kind of trials in which there’s nothing we can do to make them go away.  But when Paul went through those hardships, he made the choice to rejoice.  And we have that same choice before us. I can’t control what happens around me, try as I may.  But I can control how I react.  When difficulties come my way, when things that seem unfair happen to me, when I’m going through a time of hardship, I can choose to be better or bitter. Some people choose the latter.  They’re bitter.  They’re mad at God, mad at the world, and mad at their family.  They’re mad at everything. However, others say, “Lord, I don’t know why you’ve allowed this, and I wish you wouldn’t allow it.  But I want to be better. I want to learn through this.” Some trials that come into our lives are short-lived. But others don’t go away, and there’s no way around them.  So what should we do? We need to put our hope in God. Remember, Paul said, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.”  Maybe you don’t understand it at the moment, but there’s a reason for what you’re going through.  God is working through it.  And He never will let you down. Share this today:     Advance the gospel in 2021 Please make a special year-end gift to Harvest Ministries in order to reach more people with the life-changing message of the gospel in 2021. Donations must be received by December 31 to be deductible for the 2020 tax year. Make a year-end gift now Copyright © 2020 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Harvest Ministries exists with your support to Know God and Make Him Known. If you would like, you can update your preferences. This email may be considered an advertising or promotional email. Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000 Phone: 1-800-821-3300