Trials and Temptations
Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
I Corinthians 10:12-13
Temptation and trials . . . O, the agony and pain that accompany these necessary means by which God perfects us into the image of Christ Jesus our Lord. Scripture constantly affirms the truth that trials are necessary – and are in fact, true marks of a believer (Romans 8:17, I Peter 4:12-13, Philippians 3;10, etc.)
But, what good can come from pain?
Why does God allow me to go through things so agonizing?
Why would God ordain such dreadful tribulation?
Where can hope be found in such events?
Where is the way of escape?
I was reading a biography today on Martin Luther, and I fell in AWE of what he said in regards to trial and temptation. Martin Luther says:
I did not learn my divinity at once but was constrained by my temptations to search deeper and deeper; for if one does not experience trials and temptations he cannot really understand the Holy Scriptures. St. Paul had a devil beat him with fists and with temptations drove him to study the Scriptures. Temptations hunted me into the Bible. God be praised I at length began to understand it.Indeed, our Lord is good to do whatever means necessary to drive us into the Scriptures. O, how I pray that temptations and trials would hunt me into the Bible and swift to my knees in prayer. Teach me, O Lord, Your goodness and mercy!
Comments
I am just now reading your comments on my site(s). Thank you for taking the time to write! Whether you realize it or not, you do impart wisdom to me and I am so grateful that you would be used by the Father to convict me and to encourage me. I won't go into it here, but know that I am praying for you. I am so sorry you have hurt so much recently. Again, I will take your name before the Father. I do not say that lightly, and fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), I know how to pray for you! Sometimes I find reason to be thankful for my circumstances if God will use it to help me understand others and their sufferings.
About the women's ministry comment...which I just now read (I'm behind!)...I so agree with your thoughts. I also see the simplicity within which the early church met and fellowshipped and grew. There was (and still is) no need for so much of the fluff and stringent organization that we live by today. While the ladies in my church moved to do a Beth Moore study this time (although I admit I wanted to go in a different direction), I am thankful to see new faces in our class. But, I fear it will be short lived and numbers will dwindle and some of that fellowship will be lost because of laziness really. And I'm not driven by numbers, lest anyone reading this think that's what I'm getting at. At this point, I simply want the women who are ALREADY members of our church to grow in fellowship with and love for one another. But, as you may have experienced in your own church, there are always women who just refuse to be involved. I guess that's a problem all across the board.
I've not picked up Duncan/Hunt's book in a while, so I need to do that in order to further wrestle with this issue. I don't want to just leave it alone, but I do want to be as Biblical as possible in regard to this (and of course, all issues in life!).
Thanks for the thought-provoking words. As always, I so appreciate you and am encouraged by you, sister. I pray great blessings over you and BJ and little Lydia. Keep pressing on in Texas. God is being glorified in your life!
Much love, friend,
-glenna-