His Trials

Recently I got an awesome new scrapbooking design program. I have been able to make a book of our wedding, a family calendar, and postcards for our youth group kids. Last month I made a wife's prayer book. I used the book "Power of a Praying Wife" to create a daily prayer book to pray for my husband. I had it bound and gave a copy to my mom as well as some of my other friends. Now we can pray each day for a different aspect of our husband's life. I also included a verse to go along with each topic. This has helped me to be able to pray in a more effective way. Also, it provides an accountability aspect with my mom.

Today's topic was "His Trials." This morning when I flipped to today's page, I was a bit confused. A few days ago I had prayed for his temptations and wondered as to why the author of the original book had choosen to use both of those words. They seemed somewhat synonymous to me, trials and temptations, they seemed interchangeable in my mind. For my devotions today, I decided to do forego my typical study and did some research on the difference between these two words. What I found was that trials are certain situations or circumstances that God brings into our life to test and improve our faith and patience levels. Temptations on the other hand are specific sin issues that test our sin nature. One is meant to develop and one is meant to destroy. We can bear the weight of both of those things if we have a solid footing in Christ. While temptations are linked with sin and human nature, trials are linked to growth and spiritual development. I honestly hadn't thought about the two words before today, yet now I see how they are completely different. One seeks to develop and one seeks to destroy. Currently, one of our pastors is doing a series on Job. I guess my devos thoughts today tie in directly. Isn't it cool when something like that happens? Job was faced with trials and temptations. The trial was meant to improve his faith in God while the temptation was intended to get Job discouraged, frustrated, doubtful, and ultimately according to his wife, to curse God and die. I wouldn't blame him if he did all of those things. Honestly, it sounds bad, but that kind of pain and heartache seems so difficult to comprehend. Yet, that trial, brought on by Satan, allowed by God, was to prove Job's faith in God and to also improve his faith in God. "Blessed be the name of the Lord"

So, all that to say, may we seek to turn away temptations and to praise God for his faithfulness even in whatever trials may come our way.

God, I pray for Matt and his past, present, and future trials. May he use his past trials as a bringboard and memory of your faithfulness over time. May his present trials teach him lessons of your goodness and provision. May his future trials be light and his heart ready to bear whatever comes his way.