No Trial Wasted

The following is a list of verses, quotes, and thoughts from a sermon 

Hebrews 12:4-6, 11 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;  For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.".. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

How to be trained by our trials:

Don't Murmur at the trial
Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel. PP 293

Elijah knew not what he was doing when in the desert he said that he had had enough of life, and prayed that he might die. The Lord in His mercy did not take him at his word. There was yet a great work for Elijah to do; and when his work was done, he was not to perish in discouragement and solitude in the wilderness. Not for him the descent into the dust of death, but the ascent in glory, with the convoy of celestial chariots, to the throne on high. DA 301

Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory. MH 487

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

God can bring good out of a trial
Genesis 50:19-20 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

If we allow it, God can take the broken pieces of our lives and turn them into something beautiful. Sometimes we focus so much on the trial that we lose the blessing of the journey.

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our path, is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see." --Corrie Ten Boom

(look at  Esther 4:14, for example)

Earnestly seek to grow by the trial
Moses also had his trial. God chose him to deliver Israel. He had been trained as a general, and he thought that it was by force that he was to deliver the people. One day, seeing an Egyptian smiting an Israelite, he killed the Egyptian. Then he fled to Arabia, and for forty years he kept sheep. There his pride and self-sufficiency were swept away. He became patient, reverent, humble, “very meek, above all men which were upon the face of the earth.” Ms 11, 1903

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Trust God, you're His child
Job 1:21 And [Job] said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Hebrews 12:6
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.

God's chosen Methods of Discipline
Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God’s service are surprised and disappointed to find themselves, as never before, confronted by obstacles and beset by trials and perplexities. They pray for Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord’s work, and they are placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of their nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the existence. Like Israel of old they question, “If God is leading us, why do all these things come upon us?”

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12, 13.

It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord's chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be purified.

The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop. [MH, p. 470-471]

It is because you are being pruned that you can know God loves you. You're not a weed that he's seeking to pull out and destroy, He loves you! That's why he's giving us these opportunities to grow and become more like Him.

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

You can overcome the trial
Like Lot's wife of old, we are so focused on the pain that we freeze in our past. She turned around and looked, instead of moving forward, and she froze in her past.God is calling us to go forward, move on from our past.

In John 5:1-9, notice that Jesus wanted the paralytic to make up his mind to be made well. When the paralytic started making excuses for why he couldn't be made well, Jesus didn't respond to them, but instead simply commanded "Rise, take up your bed and walk". As soon as he chose to believe in the power of Jesus' words, he was made well, arose, took up his bed, and walked.

We don't have to make anymore excuses for bad habits of our sin-sick soul when Jesus offers us healing. Jesus knows all about our struggles and asks us if we would like to be made well. If we are really seeking to be made well, then God (by His grace) will work in us "both to will and to do for His good pleasure". He will call us to rise and give us the strength to do so. Through the power of Christ we can say "Yes Lord, I want to be made well. Yes Lord, I want to experience the healing from these trials in my life. Yes Lord, I want to walk forward in faith. Yes Lord, I want to experience that victory in you. Yes Lord, I want to be well."

There is healing at the foot of the cross and Jesus offers that healing to us today. He can turn tragedies into joy. He can the heartache into hope. Jesus can turn these trials into blessings.

Hebrews 12:2-3 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

When trials come before us and we think they're too great, remember to consider Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, because that's where the power is found. Today, by the grace of God, may we recognize that through His power we can overcome the trial. May we see that there are blessings. May we see that it is evidence that we are a child of God and that He's working on our behalf. May we faithfully see the good that can come through the trial.