Been There Before

If life were easy we would be tempted to think we don’t need God’s grace. If the sky were always blue, we wouldn't cry out to God in desperation. Hard times break us of our self-reliance, expose our weakness, and show us our need for God.

James mentions a crown of life in James 1:12. Surely one part of it is the “abundant life” Jesus promised to those who follow him (John 10:10). But the biggest part comes when we finally get to heaven. It is a reward from Jesus himself for enduring hardship in this life.

When hard times come, we can know that God is at work in our trials for our benefit and for his glory. To say that is to say nothing more than the words of Romans 8:28. For the children of God, “all things” do indeed work together for good. Sometimes we will see it; often we will simply have to take it by faith. But it is true whether we believe it or not.