I found this story in my Women's Devotional Bible, and thought maybe it could help some that are going through bad stuff right now! Text:"...Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:23 The "everything" in this verse does not always come simply for the asking. God is ever seeking to teach us the way of faith, and in our training in the faith life there must be room for the trial of faith, and often many stages are passed before we really realize what is the end of faith, namely, the victory of faith. Real moral fiber is developed through the discipline of faith. You have made your request of God, but the answer does not come. What are you to do? KEEP ON BELIEVING GOD'S WORD; NEVER BE MOVED AWAY FROM IT by what you see or feel, and thus as you stand steady, enlarged power and experience is being developed. The fact of looking at the apparent contradiction as to God's Word and being unmoved from your position of faith make you stronger on every other line. Often God delays purposely, and the delays is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes. In the lives of all the great Bible characters, God worked thus. Abraham, Moses and Elijah were not great in the beginning, but were made great through the discipline of their faith, and only thus were they fitted for the positions to which God had called them. For example, in the case of Joseph, whom the Lord was training for the throne of Egypt, it was not the prison life with its hard beds or poor food that tried him, but it was the word God had spoken into his heart in the early years concerning elevation and honor which were greater than his brethren were to receive; it was this which was ever before him, when every step in his career made it seem more and more impossible of fulfillment. These were hours that tried his soul, but hours of spiritual growth and developments. No amount of persecution tries like such experiences as these. When God has spoken of His purpose to do, and yet the days go on and he does not do it, that is truly hard; but it is a discipline of faith that will bring us into a knowledge of God which would otherwise be impossible. by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patien and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near..... Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverence and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5: 7, 8, 10, 11.
That is so good, Deena! It was not the hard beds and chains which were Joseph's trial. It was the discrepancy between them and what he knew to be true! Thanks for sharing this!
