The Treasure Of Trials

I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. (Psalm 119:75)

“The Treasure of Trials” may seem like a crazy title for a word of encouragement, but it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God! And that’s why it is the truth, because God is helping us through every trial we face, and He is turning all our afflictions into a lasting treasure.

Ruth Bell Graham once said, “When the devil attacks us, he often goes too far and drives us deeper into our relationship with the Lord.” What an amazing God we have, who takes the slings and arrows of the evil one, attacks that were meant to destroy us, and uses them to deepen our dependence upon Him. Left to ourselves, we would all live lives of self-sufficiency. But by faithfully afflicting us, God is weaning us from every earthly treasure we chase after that cannot satisfy.

Jesus is redeeming every challenge, every problem, every storm wind that blows our way and converting all of it into a lasting treasure. To be sure, none of us wants to go through trials, but knowing that God is with us and using all of them for our good and His glory strengthens our resolve to receive all of it with thanksgiving.

These powerful words of the psalmist — “In faithfulness you have afflicted me” — give us the key that unlocks the door leading to the truth about the treasures of our trials, which is the truth that nothing happens to us that does not first pass through our Lord’s nail-scarred hands. God is in control of all things, and our trials are His faithful servants, used to conform us into the image and likeness of Jesus. There is no greater treasure than that for the child of God.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!