THE TRUTH ABOUT TROUBLES!
This morning I was again thinking on Troubles and God’s perspective in them for all His children and the blessings from them as seen in Romans 5:3 “Knowing tribulation {suffering, great pressures} bring about perseverance, and perseverance proven character…” Hope this will encourage you…
The word “suffering,” or as some translations use “tribulations” {thlipsis}, it means “pressure” and as used of olives being squeezed to get the oil. It was used according to the ancient law of England, of those who refused to plead guilty to a crime, had heavy weights placed on their chest and the weight pressed down and crushed the individual to death, this is what “thlipsis,” literally means. It is not speaking of a mild irritation, discomfort but great difficulty. The word “thlipsis” is used 45 times in the New Testament, translated, “tribulation, suffering, harassment, oppression,…”
Tempering is a heat treatment applied to steel or cast iron, to achieve greater toughness. Precise control of time and temperature is critical in achieving the desired affect. Steele is tempered, made stronger and harder to break as it is put through the right amount of fire. Suffering,Tribulation is as it were the fire that strengthens our faith and makes it harder to bend or break. It makes it stronger! As much as we hate them suffering, troubles, when viewed from God’s perspective they have a Divine purpose for our good. He is producing perseverance and “proven character”. Character that has been tested and approved! It has the seal of approval from God! The word,”proven” -{dokimen} has the idea of putting steel through a fiery test and it comes out the other side genuine, authentic, proven. And this is what happens when faith is tested and perseveres, endures and character is approved, genuine, authentic!
Think Of Abraham “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,”- {Read Romans 4:19-20}, He was tested and the test strengthened His faith as he persevered,believing God’s promise!
Faith is strengthened when we respond right in hard times to God, not reacting with anger, resentment, bitterness but in adopting His perspective in our pain, at times through our tears that this too will work out for our eternal good and His honor! Trusting Him,depending upon His Spirit, guided and governed by His Word to walk by faith and not by sight!-{Read 2 Cor 5:7}. We do this Through His Word and as Paul says we can rejoice, exult as we consider we have been justified, have peace with God, access to God, stand in grace before God, have hope of a future glory and hope in our present suffering because we know , He is producing, developing spiritual character in us, and assured by His Spirit we are loved by Him!!-{Read Rom 5:1-15}
He uses our troubles to strengthen but also to purify, removing everything that does not look like Christ. Imagine a Sculptor who has a large rock chipping away at everything that is not necessary in the carving out of what he has in mind to make from that rock as perhaps a statue of a person that he is making from the stone!
God uses our Troubles to Strengthen our Faith and Sanctify us, changing us, making us more Christlike. {Read John 17:17}. And equips us for more Fruitful Service.-{Read John 15:2}.
We are “under construction.”
As my youngest son once said to me when talking about another subject, “look at the big picture!” – The “Big Picture” in our sufferings is that God is up to something good, of eternal value in us. He is making a man or woman of faith whose character is BEING Developed so as to reflect Jesus Christ!