When through fiery trials...

At church this morning, John spoke from James 1 about the reality and purpose of trials in our lives. Due to my reasonably difficult semester that just completed, this was a very touching and difficult subject for me, as I've had to deal with my share of pain and stress (most of it of my own making) over the past months. John gave the illustration of a student at Belhaven who, when asked what a bloke on the street would do if you went up to him and told him to count his trial as joy, said that he would pause, look you in the eye, and then punch you in the nose.

On a similar note, a teacher of mine in high school once said that when someone has just been struck with a difficulty and is feeling depressed, the way to help them is most certainly not to walk up to them and quote Romans 8:28. Most of us are familiar enough with the Scriptures to know that God works everything out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, therefore it's not a matter of having this passage quoted to you as if you had never heard the promise before--rather it's a matter of allowing yourself to remember and realize the truth of this passage, which is done through going through fiery trials, not simply having the passage quoted at you.

Even though John probably has told it to us too many times (), I love the story of Horatio Spafford, the man who could face the loss of his wealth and his five children and still be able to, while still grieving over the loss of his four daughters, take his pen and write the words, "It is well with my soul". Because God had found favor with him, he had a certaiu\n peace. That's a peace that many of us today (myself at the top of the list) lack. But I can honestly say that I do desire the peace and trust that would allow me to say that, "through Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance [the Gospel] control". I want the Gospel to control my thinking.

The Gospel in two lines:
"That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul" (Spafford)

Luke