Senior Living - April 3, 2017

How to rejoice in your trials

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12

A Methodist preacher by the name of Luther Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky in 1910. He left his wife and three sons in the care of his father-in-law and made the trip to Kentucky, where he spent two weeks doing ministry.

After the last service closed, Bridges was called to the telephone. He presumed it was his wife calling, and was excited to share with her all about the conference. But when he picked up the call, it wasn’t her voice on the line.

Instead, Bridges listened in silence to the news that a fire had burned down the house of his father-in-law – and his wife and all three of his sons had died in the blaze. Heartbroken, he reached out to Jesus and wrote the words to his hymn, There’s Within My Heart a Melody:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have all the grace you need to face life’s toughest circumstances. So when hard times hit, reach out to Jesus. He’s always with you, and will guide your through whatever storms life brings your way.

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would give you the strength to face life’s storms with unshakeable faith.

Questions for Thought

Think about a trial you’ve experienced at some point. How did you experience God’s presence in that tough season?

How might your perspective on trials be different if you believed beyond a doubt God that is with you in them?

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