Facing Difficult Circumstances

In January, Kevin and I started reading a daily devotional every morning at breakfast. The other day the passage really spoke to my heart. Maybe it was because there are so many things going wrong in today's world. I know personally of several of my friends and family members that are facing very difficult circumstances such as illness, financial stress, divorce, custody battles, moving, death of loved ones and the list could go on and on. The Bible passage for the devotional was 1 Peter 3: 15-18 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;  and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; "

Here is the devotion word for word from the study guide. It doesn't list an author but was taken from Open Windows Daily Devotional.  

"When I couldn't find margarine in Riobamba, I decided to use butter in my recipe. Instead, my husband came home from the store with a plastic bag of fresh cream. "I couldn't find butter, so I thought you could make your own," he said.

I put the cream into the bowl of my stand mixer, attached the paddle, and turned it on. After 30 minutes, all I was was whipped cream. Ten minutes later, the sound changed and yellow chunks floated in the white cream. I turned off the mixer, rinsed the chunks, and had two cups of homemade butter! If I had stopped sooner, I would have had whipped cream instead.

Sometimes, I feel whipped around by my circumstances. I want the troubles to stop! However, if trials end before they accomplish God's purpose, I won't become the person He wants me to be.

When a child of God overcomes difficulties, the result is endurance. God uses trials to perfect us - even when we've done the right thing."


So the lesson I take from the devotional is yes, expect trials and troubles. We can be certain they will come our way, but we can also be certain God is right by our side. He will use the situation for His purpose we are just the vessels. Prov 25:4 "Take away the dross from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith; "  If you are feeling beaten, whipped and paddled by your circumstances I pray for you to have strength and endurance to be perfected in Christ through your trials.