Praising God Through Our Trials

The Lord is Provision.

These past few weeks have been trying for me, as we nearly had to bury our sweet little dog, we’re moving to a city where we know no one, my husband was out of the country for a few weeks, I began suffering from asthma, and we started back our homeschool. Life has definitely been one busy roller coaster ride.  Yet through all of this I am constantly reminded of how faithful our God is. Whenever I needed a helping hand, He provided.  I have found that in our deepest need, He proves Himself Provider.

Phillippians 4:10-13

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I have learned that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  These past weeks have shown me that my own strength is futile and useless.  I can’t do anything on my own.  For a woman who’s been “little miss independent” for so long, this was a hard wake-up call to me.  When I needed to depend on close friends to drive me to doctor appointments for both myself and for my sick dog at wee hours in the morning while they helped to watch my kids, I quickly became jolted into the reality that my life is not my own, and that I am not quite as independent as I thought.

Phillippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 

I have learned to rejoice.  Despite the circumstances, there are just so many things I am grateful for and that I owe to the Lord for providing for us.  I owe Him my life, and that is why I must rejoice.  He has been so good to us.  I see that even when we suffer, there are blessings and hidden nuggets of gold we can find within the suffering.  If we can find that hidden treasure and take it with us on the rest of our journey, then life seems so much sweeter, just knowing that even when we’re on the mountaintops we have the confidence that God will meet us in the valleys low with a special treasure–a gift only offered during those horrible tragedies and moments of suffering.  He is such a sweet God that His anointing oil of gladness, like a sweet perfume, will permeate our lives right in the midst of our moments of suffering.

Psalm 100:2

    Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

I love that the Lord asks us to serve Him with gladness.  He doesn’t give us an option of when we should do that.  The psalmist David just encourages us to serve Him gladly and to come before Him singing!  Can you believe that this week as I’ve felt the crushing weight of the circumstances around me, I have sung more than I have in months?  There is something very stirring about going through a trial–big or small–that causes the gratefulness shoved deep inside of us to rise to the surface as we realize that only the Lord could have helped us to survive a situation.  Only He could have done the work in our lives.  And He deserves the praises and the gladness from us! Praising God through our trials works wonders in our current situation.

I hope that I’ve encouraged you to serve God through your troubles.  No matter what you’re going through, realize that He loves you and will always be your Present Provider.