God
God Uses Our Trials As Transportation | December 29, 2023
As a person of faith, you are not exempt from unfavorable circumstances. At times, you will face an increase in temptation and unrelenting troubles. Knowing this, your enemy, the devil, will use those situations to discourage you. Therefore, when these challenges come, don't retreat from the Lord; instead, double down on your faith and stand firm. The key to remaining steadfast in your faith when the testings of life come is to remember this important point: God uses our trials as transportation.
See, as a child of God, your trials can serve His purposes. For example, take Mary and Joseph from the Christmas narrative. Luke 2:1-5 says, "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."
During the end of Mary's pregnancy, Joseph was ordered to return to Bethlehem for mandatory taxation registration. According to Jewish records, males over 17 were required to return to their place of lineage, especially if they still held property in that land. Apparently, the Roman laws extended to family, meaning that Mary had to come as well, regardless if she was in her third trimester. However, this legal matter was really God working behind the scenes because for Jesus to be validated as the rightful Messiah, one of the requirements involved geography in that He had to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
Although the trip, approximately 70 miles by donkey, presented a tremendous inconvenience to Mary and Joseph, they had to obey the law, and more importantly, they were mindful of the prophecy concerning the Messiah's birthplace, given their documented dedication to God already.
Clearly, God was using this trial as transportation. What is going on in your life right now that God can use to move you forward and help you fulfill His purposes? Like Mary and Joseph, trust God's timing and leave the results to Him.
See, as a child of God, your trials can serve His purposes. For example, take Mary and Joseph from the Christmas narrative. Luke 2:1-5 says, "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."
During the end of Mary's pregnancy, Joseph was ordered to return to Bethlehem for mandatory taxation registration. According to Jewish records, males over 17 were required to return to their place of lineage, especially if they still held property in that land. Apparently, the Roman laws extended to family, meaning that Mary had to come as well, regardless if she was in her third trimester. However, this legal matter was really God working behind the scenes because for Jesus to be validated as the rightful Messiah, one of the requirements involved geography in that He had to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
Although the trip, approximately 70 miles by donkey, presented a tremendous inconvenience to Mary and Joseph, they had to obey the law, and more importantly, they were mindful of the prophecy concerning the Messiah's birthplace, given their documented dedication to God already.
Clearly, God was using this trial as transportation. What is going on in your life right now that God can use to move you forward and help you fulfill His purposes? Like Mary and Joseph, trust God's timing and leave the results to Him.
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