Spiritual Seasons of Life –Testing and Trials
Week of June 15, 2020
Text: Matthew 4:4
But He answered and said, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
This week in our series on Spiritual Seasons of Life we are talking about the testing and trials spiritual season.
I do not know about you, but the last few months have felt like all the spiritual seasons of life rolled in to one long overwhelming season. Sometimes life is simply hard for no reason at all and there is nothing much we can do about it.
Jesus gives us a good example in the scripture above for how we should handle difficult times of testing and trials. If there is one thing, we can be assured of is that in this life we will have difficult times. But God has given us the best instruction manual we could have ever received and that is His word.
In Matthew 4 we see that Jesus has gone into the wilderness to fast for 40 days. While in the wilderness Satan tempts and tests him repeatedly. Every time Jesus responds by quoting the scriptures which are the Word of God. Jesus, the son of God, understands the only way to persevere through times of testing and trials is to stay focused on His Father's words.
When you start to feel overwhelmed with the world, and the fires of trials and tests seem too much to bare remember you have the instruction manual for living an overcoming life full of joy and peace and it is called the Bible and it is the Word of God.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
When we go through times of testing and trials we can rest assured that God is going to use it to create in us a clean heart full of love for our fellow man, a strong Christ-like character and an everlasting hope. Testing and trials, while not from God, are used by God to equip us to be His ambassadors and send us out to a hurting world.
When you feel you can no longer go on, spend time meditating on God’s word, bind it to your heart and speak it over your life. His word never returns void.
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
May the God of peace guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
XXOO,
Nancy
WWJ Newsletter-Devotional testing and tr
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