Following God through the Ups and Downs of Life

One of the fundamental principles of our understanding of God is… God’s blessings often come through trials. Every person God uses must go through times of training and testing where character is refined. The fact is we don’t know what He has ahead for us. He may elevate us to a position of prominence, as He did with Joseph. He may use us in a quiet, behind-the-scenes ministry which never gains a lot of attention. Our challenge is to recognize that God is using our circumstances to shape us into the image of His Son.

How do you respond when things don’t go the way you think they should? What if Joseph hadn’t submitted to God’s plan in his trials? What if Joseph sat in the dungeon complaining, “It’s just not fair; if this is how God is going to treat me after all I’ve done to serve and obey Him then I’m done?” If Joseph had responded that way he wouldn’t have been ready for the job that God had for him a few years down the road.

“Interpret your circumstances by God’s love, not God’s love by your circumstances.”

It’s crucial that each of us learns to turn to God, not away from Him, in a time of suffering. Just because you’re going through trials, or disappointments doesn’t mean that God has withdrawn His blessing. It means that He is training you to become like His Son. And until He takes you home - you’re still in training! Remember this; true success is not where you are, but whether God is with you where you are. Whether we succeed in business or not, whether we have material prosperity or not, whether we become well-known or not. What really counts when all is said and done is that God was glorified!

It will be worth it all,