One of my favorite movie moments is when Rocky Balboa climbs the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and raises his arms in victory! He hadn’t fought the battle, but he knew he was ready! He did the work, he grew the muscle, and now he was ready to throw some fists! How do you prepare to go into battle or cruise through hard times? Have you built the necessary muscles to contend? Do you go into the proverbial ring dreading the fight, or is there a knowing that victory is ahead?
Two Goals for Trials & Hard Times
A hardship, trial, or testing of character will actually help build the muscle we need to be champions! There are two goals to shoot for when going through a “fire” or a trial.
- Come out of the trial better than when you went into it.
- Do not leave the season of hardship empty-handed!
The book of Exodus records how the 70 people who lived in Egypt developed into a slave tribe of well over a million people. After 400 years, God forced Pharoah to let the people go free. When they came out of bondage, they did not come out empty-handed but were loaded down with Egypt’s silver, gold, and clothing. Exodus 3:21-22.
Watch Lisa’s Teaching in it’s Entirety here!
Better than Money
If we make our #1 goal of going through hard times the treasure we can get, it will help us to do the “fire” with greater joy and courage! What are the treasures of a trial? There are treasures better than silver, gold, and clothing. These scriptures explain:
For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. - Proverbs 8:11
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver - Proverbs 16:16
Trials and Affliction Produce Hope
Have you noticed we live in a hopeless world? In addition, the absence of character, maturity, and endurance is evident in children, teens, and adults! However, there is hope!
Romans 5:3-5 give us the pattern for joy that builds from a foundation of trials and troubles. Look at the order of how hope is produced:
- Pressure, affliction, and trials produce patience and endurance.
- Endurance develops maturity of Character
- Character produces joy and hope!
If we read that scripture and go backward, we can see there is no hope because we don’t endure trials. There is no maturity for the same reason! Trials and pressure are painful, but they produce some really marvelous results.
SIX Keys to Going Through the Trial that Leads to Treasure!
- Don’t complain.
- Don’t compromise
- Trust God.
- Be Blameless.
- GET the Wisdom
- DO NOT QUIT
The benefits of doing a trial or hard times well far outweigh the pain in building up the muscle. Unfortunatley, Regret is evidence of something that you can’t change. Why not purpose to go into every tough situation with a plan of how to endure it well? If we focus on the treasury of benefits, there’s no reason we can’t exit a season of hardship with our arms full of beautiful long lasting treasure!
An Incredible Testimony of Hard Times…And Horrific Times
Finally, the following video is the wisdom and testimony of Dr. Helen Roseveare. It is my opinion that our merciful God does no harm to His children. However, in this fallen world, He will use a situation to perform His perfect and just will! The strength that Dr. Roseveare gained in the most challenging times of her life brought forth a wonderful weath of treasure!
