FaithInTrials #TrustGod #Perseverance #WalkingWithJesus #ChristianEncouragement #TrialsAndFaith #Hebrews12 #James1 #FaithJourney #LeanOnGod
I:Life’s trials are like icy trails—they test our balance, patience, and faith. Lean on God, keep your eyes on Jesus, and persevere. ❄️🙏
X;Life’s trials are like icy paths. Keep your eyes on Jesus, trust Him, and persevere through the slippery moments.
It is nearly Christmas now, and my life has just developed another complication. The lack of expertise in the home I’ve been living in since moving to Alberta, has resulted in less-than-adequate care, and I was moved yesterday to a new but temporary home. My wife and I had hoped and prayed that I would be moved into a home close to where my wife lives before Christmas. Well, this place is no closer to home than where I was before. Why is all this happening? Haven’t we walked through enough trouble lately? Isn’t it time for our troubles to smooth out?
This reminds me of something my wife told me today about the trail system she walks on daily with our dog…
It has turned bitterly cold here in Alberta, and we are getting daily snow. The city does keep the trail system pretty clean of snow, however. That’s a good thing, right?
Not according to my wife. One of the characteristics of the weather patterns in Alberta is that the temperatures climb and fall rather suddenly. One day it’s -10°C (14°F). The next day it climbs to 2°C (35.6°F), and then it falls to -20°C (-4°F)! Any snow that melts on warmer days will quickly refreeze when temperatures drop, turning everything into a skating rink.
The only upside is that a light snowfall adds some traction to the ice underneath. At least it should!
The problem is, the city uses a brush roller on a tractor to clear the trails. It pushes aside the powdery snow but unfortunately it can’t touch the ice underneath. My wife has already fallen because the snow has been pushed off the ice.
As a result, my wife will choose to walk in the snow alongside the cleared paths in order to avoid falling. I’m pretty sure the city workers must scratch their heads when they see her carefully avoiding their specially-cleared paths!
In life we often have plenty of “snow”—storms of circumstances that we could really do without. I’ve often asked myself why a loving God would allow us to go through the “snowy” trials of life when He, in His power, could simply remove it from our paths. But here’s the thing! Those trials draw us to God. They ensure that we depend upon Him—and not ourselves!—as we navigate this life we live on Earth. If God were to simply remove the trials, our human nature would draw us away from depending upon God, and when we aren’t completely grounded in Him, when our eyes aren’t upon Him, we will easily slip into temptation!
Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds us, “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 set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (NIV)
When our focus isn’t on Jesus, we so easily fall into the entanglement of sin that throws us off course and hinders our spiritual walk and our relationship with God! When we depend upon Him, we aren’t so easily distracted by the temptations of the world!
So the snow—read trials of life—actually helps us to focus on Jesus, thus preventing us from slipping into the traps of the devil!
As we navigate the trials that life throws our way, let’s remember my wife, who chooses to walk in the snow, so that she doesn’t fall. Let’s embrace the trials of life, leaning into God, depending upon Him so that we aren’t drawn away into temptation! Instead of complaining about those trials, let’s follow the advice of James: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)!
One more thing: I’m pretty sure that this current trial that has put me one step further from being in a home near my wife is all for the good as well! I choose to “walk in the snow”! I choose to keep my eyes upon that Babe in the Manger that we are preparing to celebrate, the One who made a way and walks with us through the “snows” of life!
Inspired by Rob Chaffart
Founder, Answers2Prayer Ministries