There are two stories in the Bible that remind me how differently I would behave compared to how the people in scripture reacted to God sparing them from a difficult situation. It reminds me that God is a whole lot more concerned with us becoming holy, than happy. He is more concerned with saving souls and being exalted than he is about our comfort. Others salvation is definitely not always my first priority in a challenge, how about you? If there seems to be a relief of stress in my situation (that doesn’t conflict with the Bible) I am sure to jump right on that train and hightail it out of there! These stories give me pause for reflection before I jump….. 

In Acts 16: 16-24 the Bible tells us that Paul and Silas had been sharing the gospel when a slave girl who possessed the spirit to tell the future had followed them everywhere for days calling attention to them. Paul prayed that the spirit would come out of her. When her owners realized they would no longer be able to make money off of her; they were angry, seized Paul and Silas, took them to the authorities who flogged and imprisoned them….

Acts 16: 24-36 [paraphrased] he [the jailer] put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. ²⁷ The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” ²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. ³⁴ The jailer was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. ³⁵ When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

If I had been flogged and imprisoned for delivering a slave girl from an evil spirit and I had trusted God enough to be singing and praying in jail; when the doors just flew open, I would have no problem believing that God had delivered me from my bondage and I would walk straight out of jail. IT IS AMAZING that Paul and Silas saw the bigger picture IN this circumstance. They saw the opportunity for the salvations that this could (and did) result in. I would have failed that test miserably if I am honest. It is a lesson to us to see the trials of our life through the lense of whether souls could be moved to accept Christ after witnessing OUR own actions. Perhaps the terrible challenges you are going through will be a testimony to bring others to know the Lord, wouldn’t our situation be worth it if it changed a life, a family, or generations to come? Maybe, just maybe, it would make our trials a little easier to bear knowing God has big plans to use us and transform lives through those situations. It was not only the jailer and his family’s lives who was saved, but can you imagine how many came to know Christ from the jailer sharing this experience with others? Our comforts here in America can’t be our top priority and purpose. We need to be more aware of what God might be doing through our challenges. Remembering and believing God has purpose makes things a little easier to bear.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

The second story that comes to mind is:

1 Samuel 24: 3-13, 17-19 a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. ⁴ The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said^b]” to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” ⁷ With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. ⁸ Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. ⁹ He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? ¹⁰ This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ¹¹ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. ¹² May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. ¹³ As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. ¹⁷ “You are more righteous than I,” he [Saul] said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. ¹⁸ You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. ¹⁹ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.

In this second story, David had been told that God would deliver Saul into his hands. If it had been me hiding in a cave and my enemy who had been chasing me to kill me unknowingly came in front of me to relieve himself, there is NO doubt I would consider that God was delivering my enemy into my hands. I don’t think I would even question it for a second! It is a good thing I wasn’t David in that moment. David had the wisdom to know that he didn’t want to become king because he killed King Saul while he was on the toilet! That would be a pretty embarrasing legacy and is pretty good insight IN the heat of the moment. Moreso though, God got the glory that day. Those who witnessed this knew that David would be king and that he would be a righteous king that they could honor without question because he fully trusted in our Lord. The actions of that day would create reverance to God for all that witnessed and repeated this story for years to come.

These stories in the Bible show us so clearly that God is capable of doing amazing things beyond our human understanding through all kinds of trials. Let us challenge ourselves to look beyond ourselves and our present sufferings to the souls who may see God at work through our trials. May we find peace in BEING CHOSEN to ENDURE WELL to glorify God’s name through our difficult circumstances.

James 1:2-5 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.