This is the first three points of one of my short e-books. If you haven’t read it yet, you should look at the introduction first.
The trials will come
“If you’re not going through something now, just wait – it’s in the mail.”
I’ve heard this many times throughout the years in preaching. It’s a very simple, yet true statement. We all go through trials and troubles. Temptation comes our way. The Bible clearly tells us that we can expect to have tribulation in the world. But we don’t need the Bible to tell us this fact – it’s evident all around us.
The Bible also tells us that the devil is always walking around “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We try to avoid thinking or talking about him, but Satan is very real. His ultimate goal is to undo everything God does. Another goal is to take us out. Just like a little kid that gets into trouble, he tries to pull others in and get them in trouble, too.
It may seem kind of gloomy to talk about the fact that trials are coming, but it’s the first step to taking care of the problem. They say that the first step is acknowledging that you have a problem.
There will be an end
After we acknowledge that there is a problem, we then need to realize that there is a light at the end of that tunnel. No matter what problem we come across, it will come to an end. It may be today. It may be next week. It may even be years away. But it will come to an end.
This is an important step to facing your trials. It is a step that helps to give you hope. If you have hope, you can endure something much longer than if there is no hope. Even a little hope is better than none.
Jesus has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. We’ll never be left alone. This gives a promise that it will come to an end, plus that He will be with us through it all.
Act, don’t react
Most people react to the situations in their life. Something happens and then they do something. They are caught off guard.
We need to learn to plan and prepare ahead of time. This allows us to act, not just react, when the trial comes.
Obviously, we cannot prepare for every possible thing that could come our way, but we should try to do our best to think of what we would do when something happens.
What would you do if the tornado sirens go off? If you’re in Oklahoma, you would go outside with your camera. Well…not everyone would do that. But, it is wise to have a plan in case the weather gets bad. What about if a fire starts in your house? What if you get injured?
Again, you can’t plan for every possibility. There are, however, several things that can be done to prepare, no matter the situation.
Stay tuned for the other 7 points coming this week.
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