Psalm 30:5b, 11-12 (NKJV) Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
I had a difficult first quarter of 2015. It was a time of trials. I had skin cancer surgery. I got the flu. My best friend went to be with the Lord. We sold and emptied my parent’s home and I had to watch things go out the door. I have gone through a time of sadness as almost everyone does in life. How do people make it without faith? I know that, when I face a challenge, I go to God for strength and support. What do others do? Have you faced some challenges so far this year? How have you handled them?
In life, there is no way around the challenges. You just have to face them. But people of faith are given strength to not only face them but to go through them. I have come to a place in my life where I ask what God is trying to teach me through this particular challenge. Trials refine us. They are there to make us better. If we go through life asking “why do these things always happen to me?” rather than what can I learn here, we are missing valuable lessons. Are you looking for those lessons? Do you try to figure out what God is trying to teach you? It may look bad right now but tomorrow will be better.
We all have lessons to learn. The question is will we learn them? He is the potter and will mold us into the shape He wants us to be but we need to stay on the Potter’s wheel. Are you willing to be molded? Are you willing to trust the Potter? Will you remain in faith? He will teach you!
Thank You Father that You are willing to teach us things. That You are willing to refine us through our challenges. We know that you have prepared a table for us past the valley. Help us to walk through that valley to the blessings you have prepared for us on the other side. Help turn our mourning into dancing. In your name we pray.