What if?

Andrew Murray wrote this many years ago "You are in this straight place by Divine appointment." Second, he said, "You are here in His keeping. He will keep you by His grace and love in this situation." Third, Murray said, "You are here for His training and discipline. God wants to stretch you, to build you up, and He has brought you to this trial to test you by fire." Finally, he said, "You are here in His time. You don't know how long you'll be here, or what your future will hold, but this is where God wants you now."

What if you and I approached every trial we face with these precepts in mind?

What if we viewed every hardship as His perfect plan for us?

Murray also said, "If there were any circumstance better for you than the one in which you find yourself, Divine Love would have placed you there."

That gives our trials a whole new meaning, doesn't it? If you are experiencing a time of difficulty right now, ask God to give you wisdom to see your situation the way He sees it. His aim is that you and I grow up. Trials are our ticket out of complacency and mediocrity. When we struggle, we grow. Like Job, we can be certain that the outcome of our pain will be a stronger, purer faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote this over 2000 years ago, how true these words are still today.

Romans 5:1-5 HCSB

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,  we have peace  with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.   We have also obtained access through Him  by faith  into this grace in which we stand,  and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that,  but we also rejoice in our afflictions,  because we know that affliction produces endurance,   endurance produces proven character,  and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us,  because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts  through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.