6 Truths of Trials to Hang Your Hat On

Sharon JaynesDealing with Your Past, Dreams of a Woman, Expectant Living, General Inspiration, Trusting God 107 Comments

 

Sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way we thought it would. Sometimes unexpected difficulties knock us off our feet and out of breath. Sometimes painful situations stab tender emotions already left fragile by past hurts.

In my own life, I’ve pondered the broken pieces of shattered dreams, and I’ve been amazed at what God has done with the pieces. A father who didn’t know how to love me. A childhood littered with parental violent outbursts. Years of infertility and longing for a child. The death of a baby before she was born. Ragged pieces all.

But even those shards have been used for a great purpose.

When we experience trials, broken dreams, or unexpected painful situations, we have a choice. Like Naomi in the book of Ruth, we can decide to become bitter, or we can ask God to use the trials to make us better.

Hopefully, a shattered dream will stir our appetites for a higher purpose or a higher calling or a higher love or a higher trust.

Can we love God no matter what?

Will we trust Him regardless of our circumstances?

Do we believe He has greater dreams for our lives than we ever imagined?

Author and counselor Larry Crabb writes,

“Shattered dreams open doors to better dreams, dreams that we do not properly value until the dreams that we improperly value are destroyed.  Shattered dreams destroy false expectations, such as the ‘victorious’ Christian life with no real struggle or failure. They help us discover true hope. We need the help of shattered dreams to put us in touch with what we must long for, to create a felt appetite for better dreams, and living for better dreams generates a new, unfamiliar feeling that we eventually recognize as joy.”

Time and time again, I have seen God take the most painful circumstances in my life and use them for His perfect purposes. Inevitably, I see that He had a greater dream in mind than I had ever imaged.

Just as a seed needs the darkness of the earth to germinate and sprout, many times we need the darkness of pain to cultivate a new and deeper walk with God.  But [tweetherder]oh the flowers that bloom in the soil of a fertile heart.[/tweetherder]

If you are going through a trial today, here are a few verses I want you to plant in your heart.

Trials test our faith: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  (I Peter 1:6)

Trials mature our character: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Trials purify our souls: “But He knows the way that I take when he has tested me; I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

Trials bring eternal glory: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18).

Trials keep us dependent on God: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Trials conform us to the image of Christ: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

So here’s the question for all of us today –when trails come, which they will, will you become bitter or better? If you are willing to take DEEP BREATH, and yield to God’s refining processes, simply leave a comment that says: “Refine me, Lord.”

 

Want More?
your_scars_cover Have you ever wondered what God wants you to do with your story? The scars in your life are nothing to be ashamed of. God can use each and every one of them to bring glory to His name. Want to learn how? Check out my book, Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding Peace and Purpose in the Hurts of Your Past.

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING WINNERS OF THE RANDOM DRAWING FOR A FREE COPY OF THE 5 DREAMS OF EVERY WOMAN…AND HOW GOD LONGS TO FULFILL THEM!

Kathy Houghton
Jane Brizendine
Melissa Lovington

 

 

 

 

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Comments 107

  2. “Dear Sharon,

    WOW!!!!
    The spirit of God is true and the same…… this word has come to me exactly when i need to here from God, thank you sharon.

    Lord refine me even when the trial seems as though it would overwhelm me. For i know that you are passing me through fire so that i can be refined like pure gold.”

    Reply

  9. “My husband and I have been going thru a struggle that I don’t understand and find the purpose of. Your message today and the scriptures have given me
    Faith to trust in GOD and peace to allow Him to work thru me.”

    Reply

  14. Refine me Lord, I pray. Show me your ways, Help me to see what it is you truly desire as I lay these broken dreams down. I release them into loving embrace and embrace the flame you’ve placed within me.. purging all areas of my heart, taking what you desire at this moment and pressing on equipted with your strength, your love, your mercy and grace. your dreams for your daughter…In Jesus name Amen.

    Reply

  30. “Oh, how I needed this! The rough stuff has been coming hard and fast. I pray that I become better, not bitter.

    Refine me, Lord!!”

    Reply

  31. That was something I needed to read. I am struggling and I want to hide. I don’t want anyone to see me or know how I feel. Showing up and sharing is terrifically hard. Thank you

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  38. Refine Me Lord! I have felt my dream of being a nurse has been passed up, but I am encouraged that if being a nurse is not what God wants of me, what He has in store for me. I am surrendering my dream to HIM! 🙂

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  49. Refine me Lord!!! Help me to be better and not bitter!! Help me to learn from my trials and apply those to my life and when times are good help me to help others who are going through trials. I love you and I love that you love me!! In Jesus’ Sweet and Holy Name. AMEN!!!!

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  52. Refine me Lord…and that you for the beautiful story.Be with me lord durning this long painful trial… I give all of me to you for the glory at the end will be yours.

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  71. Going through God’s refining process now. And I rejoice that He has made me understand that He is at work in my heart… And working His miracles there. Knowing Him more and growing in Him is worth the pain. Thank you, Lord, for what You are doing in me.

    Reply

  77. Refine me too O Lord I pray. Keep me safe both night and day. Fill my spirit to overflowing with your grace, mercy and truth. Bring me through these trials to victory for Your Name Sake and deliver me from the evil one.

    Reply

  78. “Refine me Lord. As you recall from scripture reading, Jesus did warn us “”in this world you will have troubles”” and He was right on.

    Thank you for the post today Sharon!”

    Reply

  82. “Refine Me Lord!!!!
    My life definitely doesn’t follow how I pictured it. Lead the way Lord, Lead the way!”

    Reply

  86. I highly recommend the Shattered Dreams book you quoted. It was/is a life-changer for me. I pray that my trials make me better, not bitter!

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  95. Help me get better and not bitter lord when all around me seems hopeless. Be my sufficiency and help me to trust you fully even now. Amen

    Reply

  97. Refine me Lord this helped me there has been a trial for almost a year that I am experiencing everytime I give God praise for helping me through one storm the enemy knocks me down but, In Jesus Name I will not give up because I know that God will be there for me, I know that so and very soon this trial will come to a close because I have the best defense attorney in the World Jesus.

    Reply

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