Trials
Become Triumphs
When
Our Trials Become Triumphs
By Allison Dellenbaugh
If you’re
familiar with the story of Joseph, you know he didn’t have it easy.
In
Genesis 37, his jealous brothers threw him into a pit and left him to die, then
thought better of it and sold him into slavery instead.
He
was taken to Egypt from his home in the land of Canaan.
After
a while, he thrived as the personal servant to the captain of Pharaoh’s guard,
put in charge of the whole household.
But
when his master’s wife falsely accused Joseph of trying to seduce her, Joseph
was thrown into prison.
In
prison, Joseph again became a leader, but still stayed forgotten and imprisoned
until he finally got the chance to interpret Pharaoh’s dream.
In
all, he spent about thirteen years waiting and suffering, from the time his
brothers sold him until Pharaoh finally raised him up.
But
then God didn’t just release him and send him home. He brought great good out
of the trial itself.
Joseph
was given the wisdom to save the land from famine. He was put in charge of
Egypt, and eventually, God used him to save even his brothers and his people
from famine.
When he named his children, in Genesis 41:51-52 (HCSB), “Joseph
named the firstborn Manasseh, meaning, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship
in my father’s house.’ And the second son he named Ephraim, meaning, ‘God has
made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.’”
This
is what God often does for His people. He does not merely rescue us from
affliction. He brings joy and plentiful fruit out of it. He turns our suffering
into celebration.
I
believe God is grieved in our grief, and mourns with us in our mourning.
Isaiah 63:9 (NIV) says, “In all their distress he too was
distressed.”
But
He doesn’t leave us alone in it, and doesn’t let it be the end of the story.
As
in all things, He works in it for our good (Romans
8:28).
In the words of Psalm 30:11 (NLT), “You have turned my mourning into
joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with
joy.”
In Hosea 2:15 (NET), God says of Israel, “From
there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the ‘Valley of Trouble’
into an ‘Opportunity for Hope.’
There
she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of
Egypt.”
God
not only saves us out of trouble, but so often, He transforms our very trouble
into hope. He seems to delight in turning our trials into triumphs.
I’ve
seen people lose their jobs, only to find a much better fit or a whole new
path.
I’ve
known of marriages on the brink that became testimonies to God’s goodness and
glory.
I’ve
had friends who wrestled with infertility who could not imagine their lives
without the children they eventually adopted.
I’ve
seen people hurt deeply in relationships who found their hearts healed through
other relationships, or even through their relationships with God.
And
ministry opportunities often grow out of hardship.
A
friend who lost a baby started a support group for those who have been through
the same pain.
People
dealing with disease or disability have become crusaders for hope and change.
Friends
who have battled addictions and found victory have gone on to find some of
their greatest fulfillment in working with recovery ministries, helping to lead
others out of similar struggles.
As it says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV), “Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and
the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can
comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Any
pain, affliction, or suffering that causes us to turn to the Lord and put our
hope more firmly in Him, learning to walk with Him more closely and get to know
Him better, has everlasting benefits that will exceed the current difficulty.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV), “For
our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all.”
Our
problems aren’t just a distraction; they are often the very thing God is using
to turn our ashes into beauty (Isaiah 61:3).
The
biggest example of all, of course, is that of Christ. He was rejected by
people, insulted, crucified, and bore the weight of everyone else’s sins,
including those who had put Him to death.
But
thanks to His merciful Father—who is also our Father—that wasn’t the end of the
story. He came back to life.
He
conquered death, once and for all, and rose to sit at the right hand of the
Father in Heaven (Hebrews 1:3).
Because
of what He suffered and overcame, we don’t have to suffer forever. His trial is
our triumph for all time.
Will
every sorrow be turned into joy, or every tear be turned into laughter?
Maybe
not in a specific, one-to-one way we can point to in this lifetime.
We
can all think of sorrows we haven’t yet seen a silver lining from.
But
overall, turning sorrow into joy is God’s plan for us.
He
takes our sin and gives us salvation. He takes our guilt and gives us freedom.
He takes our hurts and gives us healing. He takes our shame and sets us free.
Take
hope, then, all you who trust in the Lord!
In the words of Psalm 126 (NIV), “Those who plant in tears will
harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they
sing as they return with the harvest.”
Alison Dellenbaugh
Trust His Heart
Written by Eddie Carswell and Babbie Mason
CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . .
lyrics
All things work for
our goodThough sometimes we don't
See how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth
Our Father knows
what's best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don't see Him
Remember you're never alone
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don't see Him
Remember you're never alone
Chorus:
God is too wise to
be mistakenGod is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His Heart
He sees the master
plan
And He holds our future in His hand
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
And He holds our future in His hand
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
We see the present
clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him
(Chorus)
He alone is faithful
and trueHe alone knows what is best for you
(Chorus)
When you don't
understand
When you don't see His plan
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace
His hand
Trust His Heart
Trust His Heart
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