A note from Summer: I am so excited to have my first guest author, Olivia Tracey, publish an article on my blog! I pray will greatly encourage you through whatever suffering and trials you may be experiencing today.
There are many times in our lives when we don’t understand what is happening. When trials and disappointments occur, we may sometimes question where God is and why He is allowing such things to happen.
But often, those difficulties and trials are the very things God uses to accomplish His will. This is clearly displayed in John 11:1-45.
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha
Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, was sick. When Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus, asking Him to come and heal their brother, Jesus waited until after Lazarus died before beginning His journey.
Martha had the same questions many of us have when things go wrong in our lives: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (verse 21).
Lord, where were You?
If you were here, I wouldn’t be depressed.
My parents would still be together.
My friend wouldn’t be sick.
I love what Jesus later says in verse 40: “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
And when Lazarus walked out of that grave, fully alive and restored to health, God’s glory was most definitely seen.
Seeing God’s Glory
So, why would Jesus let Lazarus die in the first place? Why let his family grieve for four days?
Go back to Jesus’ answer: to see the glory of God.
One day, you will look back on that season of your life that makes no sense to you and see how God used it to teach you, to help you grow, and to strengthen your faith. You’ll see how God worked it all together for your good (see Romans 8:28).
That experience you went through that made you question where God was is what He can use to set up the next season of your life where He will do greater things.
Going Through Trials
The Bible is all about people who went through unimaginable pain and difficulties that led to God’s power and glory doing miracles in their lives. Every person that Jesus healed had to first experience hardships.
The disciples had to go through the fierce storm in the boat before Peter walked on water by faith. The Israelites had to taste the bitter waters of Marah before God miraculously turned it sweet.
God uses the broken and messed up parts of our lives to prepare us for the great things He has in store by teaching us how to be more like Him. Yet, we are often too busy asking God to change our situations or deliver us from difficulties to fully learn what He wants to teach us through those hardships.
There’s nothing wrong with asking God to change our situations. However, something that we should pray for just as much if not more, is that He would help us see what He wants to show us in those hardships. What God wants to show us is His glory. His faithfulness. His goodness. His love. Will you let Him show you?
Conclusion
Before you ask God to change a circumstance or turn something around, ask Him to show you what He wants to do through that difficulty or circumstance.
Maybe He wants you to experience His peace in the middle of the storm or His joy in the valleys. Perhaps he’s using the thing you want Him to take away to help you become a stronger and more mature Christian who can help others going through the same trials.
Or maybe God is setting you up for a victory, an answer to prayer, or, like Lazarus, for God to be glorified.
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