One of the things I am trusting God to accomplish through this latest challenge in my life is to use me to encourage others in their trials. One of the Scripture passages I claimed early in this ordeal is 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Some good will come through my trials if I am able to help others going through trials of their own. With that in mind, I want to share with you how God spoke to me this past weekend through another blog.

Consider this verse from Job 23:10:

 But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

Some things worth noting in this verse begin with the truth that God both knows and sees what is happening in our lives. I have to admit, there are times lately that I feel I am “out of sight, out of mind” to people. I can rest assured, however, that I am neither out of God’s sight or His mind, and I am ESPECIALLY not out of His heart. The same holds true for you if you are experiencing a time of great testing in your life. Rest assured that God sees and knows where you are.

Also, God has a purpose and plan for the circumstances of our lives. Nothing happens to us by accident, not even those things that we deem “bad.” Remember this truth: GOD NEVER WASTES YOUR TEARS. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God uses all things – the good, the bad, the seemingly indifferent – for our good and His glory if we are one of His. Verse 29 reminds us that God uses all of our circumstances to conform us to the image of Jesus, and we remember He endured suffering for us for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).

Trials will never be easy, but we can endure them by looking up to the One who sees and knows us and looking forward to the eventual outcome – the good that God will bring from your present circumstances. I am going to hang in there, will you hang in there too? Let me know how I can pray for you.