"We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." - Acts14:22
Charles Spurgeon wrote:
God's people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when he chose his people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, he included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ's last legacy. So surely as the stars are fashioned by his hands, and their orbits fixed by him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: he has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us.
Isn't it true we sometimes fall into the "Why me" trap? (I know I have). We all do at one time or another. The secret to escaping this trap, I believe is found in the family. Whether it is your immediate, extended, friends or the family of God, you can always count on that someone has felt the way you feel (or they can make you feel as if they have).
I remember many years ago, Debbie and I found ourselves feeling like we were the only ones that have ever been in a situation we were in. We had to force ourselves to go to a marriage retreat that had been planned, but neither one of us felt like going. Little did we know that we had an appointment set for us by God. As we sat with other couples talking, suddenly one couple started sharing a difficulty that they were going through. As they spoke, I just remember Debbie and I sitting there, fighting the tears. "Imagine that! They were going through what we were." This event didn't "fix" anything but it did begin to mend our broken hearts. Just knowing we were not alone and not the only ones going through what we were going through brought us to a place of healing we never could of done alone.
This is just one of the many reasons I love the church and His people. We are built to live this life together - not alone. I hope that if you have found yourself alone, you will ask God to give you strength and direction. Don't give up! You might just have to fight to get around family... especially your perfect Father in heaven. You can do it!
It really is the best place to be!
