God says there’s a purpose in your trials!

A great reminder by Pastor Rick Warren

God says when you run into troubles, it’s an opportunity to experience joy. That doesn’t make much sense, unless you understand the supernatural power of God.

He uses the problems in your life to help you mature spiritually as you become more like Christ. That means none of your problems are arbitrary or outside the power and grace of God. He can take any difficulty you face and turn it toward his purpose.

God uses your troubles to strengthen your faith. It’s similar to the way you strengthen your muscles. If you were lifting weights, each time you added more weight, the stronger your muscles would become.

In the same way, God uses problems to help you grow spiritually, building your character through a series of tests that strengthen your patience, your persistence, and many other traits he wants to develop in you.

Ultimately, he’s transforming you into a living image of Jesus. As you trust God in the midst of your troubles, you will grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

So how do you pass these tests? The good news is you get to use the textbook to check out the answers. They’re all right there in the Bible.

Here’s a good verse to remember: “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy” (James 1:2 NLT).

Why is it an opportunity for “great joy”? Because this year, as you face trials, you can trust God is at work, using them for your good. And as you lean into him, you’ll experience more of his supernatural strength and joy lifting you up, even in a difficult situation.