Trust God

I started reading a book that came out in 1973 and has remained important through the years. It is called Knowing God by J.I. Packer. I've only read 1/3 of it but what I have read so far is amazing. This book contains wonderful truths important for any child of God. I've been reading today about a subject that is near and dear to my heart as well as many today who face struggles in their walk with Christ. I've already written about this a little bit in previous posts but this man puts it better than I ever could, so I want to take the time to quote several lines from his book. He's talking about God.."Still He blesses those on whom He sets His love in a way that humbles them, so that all the glory may be His alone. Still He hates the sins of His people, and uses all kinds of inward and outward pains and griefs to wean their hearts from compromise and disobedience. Still He seeks the fellowship of His people, and sends them both sorrows and joys in order to detach their love from other things and attach it to Himself. Still He teaches the believer to value His promised gifts by making him wait for them, and compelling him to pray persistently for them before He bestows them." Packer goes on to talk more about this and uses Joseph's life in Egypt as an example. "Joseph was being tested, refined, and matured; he was being taught during his spell as a slave, and in prison, to stay himself upon God, to keep cheerful and charitable in frustrating circumstances, and to wait patiently for the Lord. God uses sustained hardship to teach these lessons very frequently. ...we are confronted with the wisdom of God ordering the events of a human life for a double purpose: the man's own personal sanctification, and the fulfilling of his appointed ministry and service in the life of the people of God. We should not be too taken aback when unexpected and upsetting and discouraging things happen to us. What do they mean? Why, simply that God in His wisdom means to make something of us which we have not attained yet, and is dealing with us accordingly. Perhaps He means to strengthen us in patience, good humor, compassion, humility, or meekness, by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under specially difficult conditions. Perhaps He has new lessons in self-denial and self-distrust to teach us. Perhaps He wishes to break us of complacency, or unreality, or undetected forms of pride and conceit. Perhaps His purpose is simply to draw us closer to Himself in conscious communion with Him; for it is often the case, as all the saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and Christian joy is greatest, when the cross is heaviest. Or perhaps God is preparing us for forms of service of which at present we have no inkling. Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered (Heb. 5:8) and we should not be surprised if He calls us to follow in His steps, and to let ourselves be prepared for the service of others by painful experiences which are quite undeserved. 'He knows the way he takes' even if for the moment we do not. We may be frankly bewildered at things that happen to us, but God knows exactly what He is doing, and what He is after, in His handling of our affairs. Always and in everything He is wise: we shall see that hereafter, even where we never saw it here. Meanwhile, we ought not to hesitate to trust His wisdom, even when He leaves us in the dark. But how are we to meet these baffling and trying situations, if we cannot for the moment see God's purpose in them? First, by taking them as from God, and asking ourselves what reaction to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us; second, by seeking God's face specifically about them. If we do these two things, we shall never find ourselves wholly in the dark as to God's purpose in our troubles."
Beloved, these are powerful truths. I know they really hit home with me. It is so critical for us to trust God in ALL of our circumstances. And you know, He may leave us in those trials and confusions until we do. It's not our place to know what God is up to in our lives. He may choose to reveal some of His plan to us but most of the time He wants us to understand that He is God and He can do anything that pleases Him. We have to remember Romans 8:28 if we are true believers. No matter how bad something in your life may seem to be, God is working it out for your good. Ask Him to glorify His holy name in your pain, grief, hardships, troubles, trials, and anything in your life that tends to lead you away from trusting your Father. Oh precious one, when the pain is so tremendous that you can't see straight, wipe the tears from your eyes, look up to the heavens and remember this verse from Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."