God’s plan for your life isn’t just to bless you—it’s to use your hardships, even intense suffering, to shape you and draw you closer to him. Nothing is random in God’s eyes.
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. And here’s Joni with an important fact about your hardships.
JONI: It’s the fact that changed my life in this wheelchair and I’m convinced it’ll help you deal better with your afflictions. Because some well-intentioned Christians say that, “Although God can turn our trials into good, he doesn't really wish hard times on us, let alone send them. What God really wants is to bless us and to keep us from suffering. I mean the whole reason Jesus went through so much hurt and pain and affliction, is so that we would not have to experience that stuff.” Now, the Christians who hold this view are of sterling character, I mean, they study their Bibles, they care about non-Christians, they show love for Jesus and his kingdom everywhere they go. But still, the point of view I just shared is a hopeless mixture of truth and error, and it misses the core of why Jesus came.
First, and this is the core of the Gospel – first, despite Christ’s compassionate death for our sins, God’s plan – not Plan B or C or plan D, buthis plan – calls for all Christians to suffer, and sometimes intensely. I mean, look at Philippians 1. It says, “For it has been granted to you that [that is, it’s been gifted, to you] on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.” And friend, this Bible verse is only one of many which point to the fact that we are to pick up our cross daily and follow in the footsteps of his suffering. That’s what 1 Peter 2 means when it says that Christ has suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps. Now I know all that sounds really hard, really difficult. So, to encourage us, God will write many, many happy and light moments into the script of our lives; he’ll delight us with his abundant blessings of family, health, precious friendships, beautiful sunsets, and so much more. But without fail, some scenes in the script of your life are going to break your heart, and some of your favorite characters will die, and the movie may end earlier than you wish.
Next, I want you to see that God’s plan is specific. He does not say, “Okay, into each life a little rain must fall,” and then aim a hose in earth's general direction to see who gets the wettest. No, he doesn't wind up nature and then sit back with his feet up to watch what happens. God doesn't let Satan prowl about totally unrestricted. The devil has to ask permission when it comes to the harm or injury that touches your life. Remember when Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked to sift him like wheat? Well, you can be sure the devil did not ask permission out of politeness. Absolutely nothing touches us that does not first get filtered through God’s wise and loving fingers.
So, if you feel as though God has taken a hands-off policy when it comes to certain hardships in your life, place those hardships right now under his sovereign care. Commit to trust him with his plan for your life. When you do, no suffering in your life will ever be wasted, not if God has anything to do with it!
SHAUNA: And friend, if you need prayer in dealing with hardships in your life, go to joniradio.org. Let us know how we can cover you in prayer. And if you think this program might inspire others [and I know it will], you’ll find it waiting for you at joniradio.org. Trust and obey, for there’s no better way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.
© Joni and Friends