Don't Waste Your Trials

I walked into the sanctuary and sat on the back pew. I arrived at church right as it was starting for Wednesday night service and tried to almost "slip in" as quietly as possible. Our Wednesday service consists of three different moments. We begin by allowing anyone who feels led to share a praise. Tell everyone something wonderful that the Lord has done for them. Next, we go into prayer time. You can add someone to the prayer list, pray specifically for a need or simply pray with other church members. After prayer time our pastor begins to give a short devotional. Tonight was a little different in that my pastor recently has been diagnosed with cancer. He brought to our special Wednesday night service ten ways he has learned to not "waste" his cancer. As he went over each item, one by one, I began to see how he was not only showing us ways he was using his cancer as a tool but he was also showing us how to not "waste" our trials. I was so moved by these words that I just felt compelled to share them with you today.

1) You will waste your trial if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
"Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" Job 2:10

2) You will waste your trial if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

3) You will waste your trial if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
"In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead." 2 Corinthians 1:9

4) You will waste your trial if you refuse to think about death.
"Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." Psalm 90:12

5) You will waste your trial if you think that overcoming the trial means staying alive rather then cherishing Christ.
"For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better." Philippians 1:21

6) You will waste your trial if you spend too much time reading about your situation (ex.: researching the internet for an answer) and not enough time reading about God.
"Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring." Hosea 6:3

7) You will waste your trial if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
"Now I am sending him home again, for he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. And he surely was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him - and also on me, so that I would not have such unbearable sorrow." Philippians 2:26-27

8) You will waste your trial if you grieve as those who have no hope.
"...I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope." 1 Thessalonians 4:13

9) You will waste your trial if you sin as casually as before.
"I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word."
Psalm 119:67

10) You will waste your trial if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
"But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will be accused before kings and governors of being my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me." Luke 21:12-13

Wow! I was amazed...I am still amazed at these "things." As my pastor began to explain each "waste" I began to examine my own short comings and thinking of how I tend to become defensive and question when I go through a trial. This list will be placed in my Bible as a reminder to not waste my trials.