Is Joyfully Patient In Trials

Is Joyfully Patient In Trials

A HERO’S TALE

As you read yesterday, life must have been very difficult for the little Jewish slave girl in 2 Kings 5.

Imagine being with your family one day, just like normal, when suddenly enemy soldiers invade your town. They loot your home, steal all your valuables, and destroy everything else. Then someone grabs you and ties you up with other captives and forces you to march to a foreign country, ripping you away from everything you’ve ever known.

That would be terrible, right? Well, that’s what happened to this little girl. She was forced into slavery in the household of Naaman, the Aramean army’s commanding general.

Where were the girl’s parents? Were they also taken as prisoners? Were they killed in the raid? The Bible doesn’t say. But it seems like they weren’t with her, or the Bible probably would have mentioned them in 2 Kings 5:2-3. The girl must have felt terribly alone.

In the midst of this great trial, or difficulty, the girl could have questioned if God existed or if he had abandoned her. She could have become angry, impatient, or depressed. But she didn’t. As we learned yesterday, she actually looked for ways to help her master, Naaman, who had leprosy. Stuck in a rotten situation, she made the most of it with a joyful heart.

DECODING THE MESSAGE

Sometimes life seems unfair. Trials are no fun. After all, who would choose difficulty over peace and happiness?

But life is full of trouble. Tough times are certain to come. The question is what your attitude will be when they do. Passages such as James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 tell us that God allows trials in our lives to help us grow in godliness. Trials help us trust in God and develop good character traits like joy, hope, patience, and perseverance.

Tough times don’t give us a free pass to have a bad attitude —quite the opposite. Believe it or not, the Bible says we are actually to rejoice during trouble (see James 1:2)! A true hero for God is joyfully patient in trials, trusting God without complaining or losing heart.

How is this possible? By remembering God’s unchanging character. He loves you and will never leave you (see Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20). He always looks out for your best interests (see Romans 8:28). With God on your side, you have nothing to fear (see Isaiah 41:10)!

BATTLE PLAN

The best way to maintain a godly attitude through trials is to remember God’s promises in Scripture and pray. When tough times come, make sure you jump into God’s Word and get on your knees!