Annabell

June 12, 2007- June 12, 2007

 

This was one of the hardest days in my life, but one I never regret I had.  Never before had God showed me love and care the way he did a year ago and I will never forget that.  Heaven looks so much sweeter to me now.  Thank you for so many calls and e-mails this week.  It is a little more difficult than I thought it will be, but again a good time to reflect back on who God is through these times.

I wanted to use this opportunity today to share these scripture with you.  I copied it of my friend Lisa's blog, but this is the same scripture that gave me hope and comfort last year and hopefully you can pass it on to someone one day who lost a loved one.

 

1. Trials confirm genuine 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 1:6-7)

2. Trials humble us.

“I know Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Here, now, and I will speak; I will ask Thee and do Thou instruct me.” (Job 42:2-4)

3. Trials strengthen faith toward maturity.

“The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must have its finished work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.” (James 1:3-4)

4. Trials refine by bringing sin to the surface to be dealt with.

“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10)

5. Trials remind us that our home is not here and intensify our longing for heaven.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

6. Trials give opportunity to serve one another.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

7. Trials give opportunity to be comforted by His promises.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)

“My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (Psalm 119:50)

This passage has been especially comforting to me last year 

Remember my afflictions and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and be silent since He has laid it on him……

…..For the LORD will not reject forever, for if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly, or grieve the sons of men…..

….Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass unless the LORD has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth? Why should any living mortal, or any man offer complaint in view of his sins?

Lamentations 3:20-39