Being Faithful Through Trials

                        Genesis 15:14  “But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions."

            Recently I made a new commitment to the Lord and Team RFC in looking at new ways to serve both.  Prayed up and thought I was on the right track.  I thought nothing at this point could go wrong, had enough of those past trials and temptations.  Had personal issues that were being ironed out and everything looked very promising.  No sooner had I got in that comfort zone, and wham...I fell 15' off of my roof.  Yes, 15' off of my roof and taking the ladder with me, tangled in and around my leg and foot.  You know, if anything will get your attention this would.

            Whenever God brings you through a time of great adversity, you can expect to come out of that experience with great possessions, if you have been faithful through the trial.  The Bible teaches wisdom comes from obedience, not knowledge.  I can tell you this…I won't climb anymore ladders (especially on my roof.)  Out of this I knew I was being tested and, not to get too strong relying on just myself, but remembering who has been with me all along...Christ.  God would never let us go through these trials if He didn't have something even bigger to offer us in the future.  How we take these trials and use them for His purpose is how we should look at them.  It is one of those mysteries of the gospel that only those who experience incredible testing and hardship can explain.

             God kept the people of Israel enslaved for 400 years, but when the time came to free them from the bondage of slavery, they came out with great possessions.  We, too, come out with great possessions when we are freed from things that have hindered us all our lives.  We are then expected by God to share our possessions with others so that they also can know how they might become free.

              It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that you don't have to fall off a roof to know what possessions you will receive from God.  But God has ways to remind us that we all have experienced things that need to be shared.  Share what God has done in your life with someone.  It may be the possession they need most in their life!

Mike Williams