10. IN THESE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES

Though the theme of trusting God has been consistent throughout this series of studies, we will now examine more closely what trusting God means today, in the midst of “these present circumstances.” As I sat working on the original manuscript for this book, the world was more than a year into a pandemic. Millions of people contracted the disease, millions died, and some live with the disease’s life-altering consequences. Businesses failed, economies were ruined, and national debt became incalculable as governments worked to support businesses and help those without jobs. Isolation caused a rise in people suffering from mental health issues. And that was only in first-world countries blessed with resources to meet immediate needs.

COVID-19 was just one of many circumstances the world is facing. Global issues like war, economic struggles, political unrest, and abuses of power affect us personally—where they touch you and me. Where is God in all of this? Can He be trusted? How do I show my trust amidst the countless issues that trouble my days?

The first thing we need to remember is that everything is part of our journey toward spiritual maturity, designed to bring us into conformity with the image of Jesus. It is part of God’s divine plan. We are instructed in James 1:2-4 to “consider it pure joy.”

Finding joy amid a crisis is a tall order. Joy is not what typically seems to emerge during difficult times, even within the believing community. It can appear like an impossible, even cruel, expectation—especially if we overlook that what James describes isn't some twisted delight in trials themselves. Instead, it is joy inspired by the anticipation of the outcome once the trial concludes and we have passed the test that the circumstances present. This joy comes from seeing the fruit of the process—the spiritual maturity exemplified by the qualities produced in our lives by the Holy Spirit through that journey. Bitterness, anger, rebellion, and despair are NOT part of this fruit, although they often seem to dominate what these current pandemic conditions have fostered in many people.

Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit that God’s Spirit cultivates in us as we lean into Him during hard times. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” We don’t realize what we need to learn until our faith is tested. We don’t know which of these fruits needs more nurturing until the right circumstances come into our lives. Adversity reveals what lessons must be learned and what work in our “garden” needs to be done. We do not celebrate the death of a loved one, a diagnosis of cancer, or a lost job. God doesn’t ask us to do that. But He does ask us to trust Him, to rejoice in the certainty that He is in control. He asks us to trust Him to work for our ultimate good and His glory through that death, that diagnosis, and that job loss.

Paul could write to the believers in Rome and say, “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out unto our hearts though the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”^[i]

I found the following story while doing research for an archival project. It highlights an attitude of trust in God and also beautifully affirms an important truth: God trusts us with what He sends into our lives.

Just before the turn of the century, missionary John Davis, having secured funding from the Mission to the Lepers, began working among a large number of those so stricken in Ramachandrapuram, near Kakinada. By 1900 Davis had constructed a leprosarium that housed forty-one patients. The third year eighteen were converted. Yet Davis paid a high price. He himself contracted the dread and then incurable disease and was forced to return to Canada. He spent some years on a Manitoba farm until the advance of the malady forced him to be hospitalized in a New Brunswick sanitorium, where he died, a martyr to his Master’s cause, in 1916. In letters painfully dictated just before his death, Davis wrote, “My mouth, throat and stomach are full of ulcers…I cannot eat solid food…and sometimes I almost choke to death.” Yet he was to conclude: “I have come to regard my sickness as a sacred trust from God.”^[i]

We are not deceived when we trust Him, even though Satan would like us to believe we are. Just as he planted that seed of doubt in Eve’s mind, he also plants it in ours. However, we will not find in the end that the results are empty, that our hopes were in vain, that we suffered unjustly, that God was not Who He declared Himself to be, or that He has not fulfilled His promises.

On what is this promise of a good result from our suffering based?

It is hard to take our eyes off of whatever the adverse circumstances in our lives are. They are so in-your-face, so “daily.” In order to keep from despair and discouragement, we need to focus our eyes not only on the joy of the end result, but on the One who, by His own example, guarantees that result. Hebrews 12:1-3, which follows right after the list of heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, shows us the way: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Jesus focused His attention beyond the cross, to what the cross would accomplish, to what was waiting on Resurrection morning and beyond. Looking beyond the immediate circumstances is what we need to do as well.

How do we keep our attention focused on something other than those “in-your-face” circumstances of life? One way to do that is to embrace Scripture. We need to learn to meditate on its truths, claim its comfort, and commit to its instruction. Psalm 1:2, 3 tells us, “Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

Notice the reference to fruit again—those same God-like characteristics that we found in the passage in Galatians are cultivated as we immerse ourselves in the Word of God and live out its precepts, despite what is happening around us and to us.

Can you describe an example from your own life when adversity has resulted in the maturing of one of those fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians?

Moses urged the Hebrews to remember their history, reflect on God’s acts in their lives, the lessons learned, and the growth in faith gained from their experiences. The challenges we face are meant to produce the same outcomes in us as they did for the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 8:2-5 describes it this way: “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord…Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.”

It seems as if the writer is suggesting that God sends tests to discover what is in our hearts. However, He already knows. We are the ones who need to understand what is in our own hearts. Only through testing can we identify where our faith is weak, whether we will continue to believe, follow the Lord, and obey Him, even when the worst scenarios occur. Only through testing can we discern what part of our old nature remains, dying though it may be, and what still causes us to stumble as we strive to truly live out the righteousness given to us through our relationship with Christ. Unless we understand what still needs to be addressed, confessed, or abandoned, we cannot move forward. In the darkness of the truth about ourselves that life’s tests reveal, we reach out for His hand because we cannot see the path that only He knows.

We need to understand what truly matters in life.

What would you identify from these verses as the results God seeks to achieve in us through the discipline of adversity?

Often, we cling to things that do not serve us or align with God’s perfect plan for our lives. Difficulties often reveal what truly matters and help us release what does not bring glory to God or benefit us. Sadly, as was the case with Israel, the passage of time can dull our memory, causing us to forget the very lessons we need to remember. After 9/11, many turned to the churches. The horror of what happened in New York, at the Pentagon, and in that field in Pennsylvania pushed them to seek help from God. But as the time between those events and everyday life grew longer, many forgot and went back to their usual routines. The desire they had for God's guidance did not persist.

But for those who learn the lessons and discover their connection to the Almighty, the process of fruit-bearing begins. Jesus would call this the pruning stage, something He describes in John 15. The unprofitable areas of our lives are things that could also be described as “unfruitful.” They don’t contribute to the production of that fruit of the Spirit as described for us in Galatians. Jesus says in verses 1, 2, “I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Pruning is not enjoyable. However, if we aim to reach the ultimate goal of resembling Christ, pruning is necessary. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

The God-like qualities we see in Galatians can also be called traits of holiness—characteristics that align with the image of Jesus, into which God, through His Spirit, is working to shape us. We are to be holy in the same manner He is holy. Hebrews 12:10, 11 mention discipline as a key part in producing the holiness He desires to see in us. “They [our human fathers] discipled us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Just as we need to stay focused on Jesus, as we saw from Hebrews 12, we must learn to “abide” in Him, as described in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Branches that are not connected to the vine are dead and must be cut off and destroyed. The only way a branch can have life is through its connection to the vine. In the spiritual realm, this means that the connection and relationship with Jesus are essential. The passage illustrates that this connection begins, first of all, with faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord. As that faith in Christ grows, we see how dependent we are on Him as He sustains, nourishes, and works within us. This faith makes us cling to Him because we not only trust Him to fulfill His promises but also realize that without Him, we can do nothing to accomplish what He has designed us for. Even the breath we take is given (or withheld) by Him.

Paul understood both the pain and the joy of the discipline involved in spiritual growth. He learned to rely not on himself but on God. He writes in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, “We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

Paul’s physical challenges were divinely designed to help the apostle overcome pride, the tendency to rely on his own abilities and experiences. From a human perspective, Paul was more than capable of achieving success based on his merits, at least in terms of human standards. God not only sent him adversity during his travels but also placed a constant reminder in his body of how dependent he was on God for everything. By joyfully submitting to the disciplines of the Spirit, Paul could write: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”^[i]

What would you identify as your strengths? What steps do you think are necessary to take to help you avoid relying on those strengths instead of trusting the Lord?

Our strengths in themselves are not bad—God gave them to us. But like every good gift, they can become idols of self-aggrandizement rather than instruments for God’s glory. Even our blessings can become curses when we take our eyes off Jesus.

We met Moses in the desert at the foot of a burning bush, and he was so humbled that he felt he wasn’t capable of fulfilling the task God had called him to do. It wasn’t that Moses was unprepared in the human sense to follow God’s command. Acts 7:22 tells us, “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” So proud of his strengths and privileges, he rushed ahead of God’s plan, killed an Egyptian, and then expected the Hebrews to see him as their divinely chosen hero. One dead Egyptian does not make a rescue! He failed. The lesson of humility was ingrained in him after 40 years caring for sheep in the wilderness. By the time God called him again, Moses knew to trust God rather than himself.

Adversity is never easy. We are often tempted to despair, doubt, and lose confidence amid the fog of pain and loss. The writer to the Hebrews offers words of encouragement to us, just as he did to those of his day who faced difficult times. He writes in Hebrews 10:32-36 these words: “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he promised. For ‘In a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’ And, ‘But my righteous one will live by faith.’”

Perspective is important.

What is the hope of the believer that sustains his or her trust in God during times of adversity?

We look toward heaven. As believers, it is our ultimate destination and our eternal home. From the perspective of eternity, this brief time we spend here, along with the circumstances of our life during that period, diminishes in significance. “I consider,” writes Paul in Romans 8:18, “that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Perseverance is a recurring theme in Scripture. The testing of faith produces perseverance, as James 1:3 states. We also understand that when adversity strikes, the person or persons facing it must confront a crisis of faith—whether mild or severe. They must decide whether to trust God or walk away. There are different ways to do that “walking away.” Some will experience a temporary setback in their confidence in God, while others will choose to deny their faith permanently.

Paul addresses this. In his own life experiences, there were many times when he faced the question: Do I trust, or do I not? His struggles are implied in his famous statements about doing what he doesn’t want to do, and not doing what he should! In the end, Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-13, “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Aside from the personal benefits of adversity in producing the fruit of righteousness that delights God, what we learn from adversity also serves as a connection point in our ministry to others. Paul was certain of this. He praises God for being his comfort in difficult times and assures his readers that “…we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”^[i]

Can you think of a time when you were able to minister to someone else because of some adversity in your own life where God proved Himself faithful?

According to tradition, all of the disciples except John sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Gospel. However, John was not immune to his own trials. He penned the Book of Revelation during his exile on the island of Patmos. In Revelation 1:9, he writes, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

We do not always find deliverance from adversity—the disciples certainly didn’t. We do not always grasp what God is doing—Job didn’t. In an encounter with the Almighty, he admitted that he didn’t need to understand. He could simply rely on the Lord and trust Him. He wrote: “My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”^[i]

Paul had no martyr complex—though he would become a martyr. He expressed his desire to embrace suffering simply because it would allow him to emulate his Master, Jesus, and to know the Lord better. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and the participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…”^[i]

Such a statement or commitment makes us look in the mirror and wonder if we could say the same thing.

What can we ask of God during times of adversity? What do we need to hold onto? What offers us comfort when our world is in chaos? Read the following psalms and make your list.

Psalm 23

Psalm 42

Psalm 61

Psalm 62

God urges us to be thankful in every circumstance of life, regardless of what form they may take. Be thankful? You must be joking, right? Aren’t we allowed to mumble, grumble, complain, or feel a little annoyed at the inconvenience?

I Thessalonians 5:16 reminds us: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

What are your first thoughts about Paul’s unrelenting insistence that there is no circumstance so difficult that we can’t be thankful in it?

Gratitude should be our default attitude, not just because of what we receive, but also in acknowledgment that God is active everywhere—among all peoples and through every event around the world—even when those events are beyond our understanding.

Certainly, gratitude should be our response when God answers our requests. In Luke 17:11-19, we find the account of a miracle Jesus performed while on His way to Jerusalem. As He traveled, He encountered ten men suffering from leprosy. They begged for His help. He told them to, “‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.” Only one of those healed men returned to thank Jesus, a detail the Lord specifically pointed out.

We know, at least intellectually, the truth of Romans 8:28 that, “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” What He does is intended to align us with Jesus as our example for living. That brings us back to Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: if God is working through “all things” for our good, then we should be grateful for “all things.”

What are your thoughts as you consider this last statement?

We remember Joseph, a privileged boy who, because of his brothers' jealousy, was sold into slavery. He was falsely accused, spent time in prison forgotten by those who should have helped him, and was later elevated to one of the highest positions in Egypt. When he reunited with his brothers, he reminded them that although their intentions were evil, God’s intentions were good. This is recorded for us in Genesis 45:8, 50:20: “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God…You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” It’s not explicitly stated that Joseph was grateful to God, but it’s probably safe to assume that he was. He could look beyond his brothers and see God's hand.

In Job’s case, there is no doubt about his attitude, although it would seem to us to be one that most of us could find impossible to imitate if we experienced the same tragedies he did. Job 1:20-21 describes that when Job had lost everything he valued in life, this is what he did: “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’”

Notice that Job mourned—the tearing of his clothes and the shaving of his head show this. But he also worshipped and praised God—an incredible act considering the circumstances. Job recognises that God gives, and God takes away.

What comes into our lives, or doesn’t, is God’s decision. Being critical of what God chooses for others and doesn’t give to us, or feeling ungrateful for what we have compared to what others possess, should remind us of God’s sovereignty over all aspects of our lives. He has the right to choose, to give, and to take away, as He sees fit.

Every person’s journey is different, unique to each individual. That is something to praise Him for. God’s purposes will be fulfilled in all of us, despite the various paths we may take to reach His destination for us. That too is something to praise Him for. He will give, or take, what is needed to fulfill His divine plan for each of our lives. That is His right as our Creator.

There is something else for which we can be grateful. There is only one thing we truly deserve from God. And we can be thankful that He hasn’t given us what we deserve. As bearers of a sin nature and as those who have offended Him because of our sin, we don’t deserve to enter His presence, call Him “Father,” be forgiven, or inherit eternal life. He has been merciful, and instead of administering justice for our sins, He has given us what we do not deserve and can never earn—forgiveness and new life both here and for eternity. We can be especially thankful that we have received that mercy.

What mercies are you grateful for?

Humility looks good on the believer.

Since nothing we are or possess is created by us but is given by a loving Father working for our good, we should rightly feel humble before Him—and before others. Peter advises his readers to “…clothe yourselves with humility towards one another…Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Notice the promise there—true humility has its reward.

Above all, we are reminded of this vital truth as recorded by Peter: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” This intentional act of surrender stems from trust. We can cease worrying, fretting, losing sleep, and instead entrust all our concerns to the One who loves us and is able, and willing, to handle them.

We should be thankful for all He has given and also for what He has withheld. Often, we are unaware of what He has kept from us that could have caused serious harm if He had not protected us. We should appreciate that He does not give or withhold to crush us or in the spirit of “one-upmanship,” as others sometimes do. Instead, He acts out of love, and we can trust Him.

We are quick to remind ourselves that we should be thankful “in” the circumstances, but not necessarily “for” those circumstances. That might lead us to believe we have some leeway to feel angry, grouchy, or depressed. But I wonder if we should also be thankful “for” as well as “in.” Is there a moment in our spiritual journey when we reach enough maturity to be thankful “for” our circumstances, even the worst ones we could imagine? Paul seems to have reached that level. He was so blessed in his relationship with Jesus that he could easily have used a bit of that pride among the other apostles. He was the “crème de la crème,” the best of the best among those he met on his many journeys across the world of his day. In 2 Corinthians 7, he writes about being caught up into the seventh heaven and seeing visions and revelations from the Lord. He knows he can boast—and God knows he can boast. Yet, there’s a sense that although he was thankful for all those wonderful things God had given him, he also learned to be thankful for the “thorns” as well. He came to understand their value in his spiritual journey.

He writes in 2 Corinthians 12:6, 7, “But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from being conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”

Paul asks God to remove the thorn. It was God who had given permission for its placement, and only God could take it away — and He didn’t. It was necessary to keep Paul from lapsing into pride, to keep him leaning on the Almighty rather than relying on his wonderful experiences with God to carry him through life. Then, in verses 9 and 10, he uses the words “boast” and “delight” to describe how he feels about that thorn. He was thankful for just as much as he was thankful in.

I am intrigued that Paul should call his disability “a messenger of Satan.” Because of all we have seen in Scripture up to this point, we know that this “thorn” was given to the apostle by God. He knows that, because it is to God that he appeals for its removal.

There is a particular struggle in my life that I have repeatedly asked God to deliver me from. Thus far, though He has given me what I need to deal with the struggle, He has not freed me from it. I live with the constant temptation to give in to the baser instincts that this struggle entails. I constantly have to go back to God for forgiveness and for perseverance. Because of my own struggle, I think I understand what Paul means in these verses. The “thorn” is God-given. But the disability provides Satan the same opportunity it did in Job’s case — the chance to get God’s person to walk away from God.

Paul would have battled all his life with Satan’s whispers: “Come on, Paul, does God really care about you if He won’t take away this troublesome problem? He doesn’t care. Just walk away!”

I hope my struggle doesn’t last a lifetime. But it keeps leading me back to the question of trust.

Can you identify any “thorns” in your life that keep you leaning on the Lord rather than trusting yourself?

God grants us grace to withstand whatever He permits into our lives. James 4:6-10 reminds us of this: “But he gives more grace. That is why the Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then to God…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

Trusting God’s sovereignty and His goodness helps us to forgive. We come to see that everything, even what seems bad or unfair, comes from a loving God whose aim is our well-being. We understand that He is shaping us into everything He intended us to be. We begin to see the slights, insults, and evil actions of others against us in a new light. This foundation makes it easier to forgive and even to be grateful to God for their role in fulfilling His purposes in our lives.

We must admit that there are times when we have been those who slight, insult, and act in ungodly ways towards others. Often, we are tools in God’s hands to help others grow in their faith because of our actions. This does not mean we intentionally try to offend others in a self-righteous effort to “improve” them. Rather, it gives us the chance to acknowledge our own weaknesses and humanity, seek forgiveness, and recognise that God can use even our faults for His glory. Asking for forgiveness and seeking reconciliation after such mistakes fosters our spiritual growth and that of those we have wronged. Recognising that EVERYTHING is woven together for good by God enables us to forgive freely, ask for forgiveness, and even be thankful for the ups and downs in our relationships. Ephesians 4:32; 5:1 tells us: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example…”

Is there someone in your life you need to forgive because of harm they've caused you? Is there someone from whom you need to seek forgiveness? Can you, trusting God to bring good out of that situation, express gratitude for that experience?

Dealing with hurts and the harm we've experienced from others is challenging. Because of this difficulty, reminding ourselves of passages like Lamentations 3:37, 38 becomes crucial. “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?”

We are again faced with the question: Do I choose to trust God with this, knowing that He, my Sovereign Lord, has allowed this into my life for my good and His glory? Can I be thankful even in this, and for this, because it has been the will of God?

Can I place myself on the altar, knowing that when I submit everything to God, I will gain a clearer understanding that His will for me is perfect? Paul writes in Romans 12:1, 2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Submission to God’s will can be painful; just ask Jesus. As He knelt in the olive grove in Gethsemane and contemplated what was to come, He cried out to His Father. This is what is recorded for us in Matthew 26:39. “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”

Even in the worst circumstances, our Lord identified with us and set an example for us to follow.

We often fail the tests of trust that come our way, allowing fear and doubt to overshadow what we know is true about God. We are tempted to give up, especially if we have failed a particular test more than once. What can be the result of persevering in our faith even after repeated failures?

Eventually (hopefully) we learn our lesson and become stronger in our faith so that we don’t have to face that particular test again. But our failures, successes, and perseverance in faith are also ways we can influence others, fulfilling God’s divine plan for us and for them. We are told to, “encourage one another and build each other up...” We can choose to be thankful for the grace and mercy that, despite our frailty, enables us to join the Spirit of God in building up the saints.

We can accept the truth that, despite the tests we face and the constant need to resist Satan's temptations, as instructed in James 4:7, we can be thankful that when we obey God, our adversary will run! We often give him too much credit and see ourselves as victims rather than being thankful and joyful in the truth that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Notice the word “all” again in this verse from Romans 8:37: “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

That’s a promise we can trust, delivered by a God who is trustworthy.

^[i] Philippians 3:10

^[i] Job 42:5, 6

^[i] 2 Corinthians 1:4

^[i] 2 Corinthians 12:10

^[i] Harry A. Renfree, Heritage and Horizon: The Baptist Story in Canada, (Mississauga, ON, Canadian Baptist Federation, 1988), 197

^[i] Romans 5:3-5