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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

DON’T WASTE YOUR TRIALS

Introduction

A few weeks ago we began to look at the subject of “Don’t Waste Your Trials.”

We said that even we who rejoice in Christ, suffer grief from all kinds of trials and tribulations in this life just as much, if not more so, than those who don’t know Christ.

We looked at PART 1–THE DESIGN OF OUR TRIALS and we said:

I.         WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE DON’T SEE THEM AS BEING DESIGNED BY GOD FOR US.

II.        WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE DON’T SEE THEM AS BEING DESIGNED BY GOD FOR HIS GLORY.

Tonight, as we continue on the thought “Don’t Waste Your Trials”

III.      WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE VIEW THEM AS A CURSE AND NOT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLESSING.

            To illustrate this I want to use a couple of Biblical examples.

            A.        We Can View Our Trials As A Curse And Cause Ourselves And Others Heartaches.   

                        Some people stop being faithful to God and stop serving God when trials come.

For those who are truly born again this just deepens their problem as now they have to deal with the chastening hand of a loving God.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, God loves us too much to leave us in our backslidden condition.

                        However,

            B.        We Can View Our Trials As An Opportunity For Blessing And Bring About Blessing To Ourselves And Others.

                        1.         Joseph in Genesis 45:5, 8; 50:20.

If Joseph’s attitude had been wrong, he would have missed out on the opportunity to become a blessing.

                                    But, Joseph’s attitude was that God sent him to Egypt for a reason. 

                        2.         Paul and Silas in Acts 16:19-34. 

Think about if Paul and Silas had displayed a bad attitude in the midst of their trial, do you think they might have missed the opportunity to be a blessing to the Philippian jailor and his family?

                                    But, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God in the midst of trials.

                                    And through their witness, souls were saved and lives were changed!

WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE VIEW THEM AS A CURSE AND NOT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLESSING.

IV.      WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE TRY TO HANDLE THEM OURSELVES RATHER THAN LEAN ON GOD’S GRACE. (2 Chronicles 16)

Here we see that King Asa tried to handle his own problems.

What a great opportunity he had to showcase God and His glory, but he chose to try to handle the problem himself and it cost him.

            Did you ever try to handle a problem by yourself and make an absolute mess out of it?

            I know I sure have!

2 Corinthians 3:5–“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”

V.        WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE ALLOW THEM TO GET OUR FOCUS ON OURSELVES OR OUR PROBLEMS RATHER THAN ON GOD.

            A.        Ten Of Twelve Spies And Israel Focused On Themselves And Their Problems Rather Than God. (Numbers 13:25-33; 14)

            B.        Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego Focused On God Rather Than Their Problems. (Daniel 3:12-18)

When we are in the midst of trials, it is important that our focus be on God and not on ourselves or our problems!

VI.      WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE SEEK COMFORT FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE BUT GOD. (1 Peter 5:6-11; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

1 Samuel 30:6–“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”

Psalms 27:13-14–“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

Psalms 55:22–“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

Psalms 56:3-4–“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Hebrews 13:5-6–“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Psalms 34:15–“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

VII.     WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE FAIL TO USE OUR EXPERIENCES TO HELP OTHERS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN DIFFICULT TRIALS.

(2 Corinthians 1:4:3-6; Psalm 34:2-6)

Psalms 66:16–“Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11–Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

            God wants to comfort others through us!

VIII.   WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE PUSH GOD OFF RATHER THAN EMBRACE HIM.

            A.        King Asa.

                        We already read where King Asa pushed God off and it cost him.

                        He got mad with the man of God who delivered the message of rebuke.

                        He oppressed some of the people the at the same time. (2 Chronicles 16:10)

2 Chronicles 16:12–“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.”

            B.        King Hezekiah.

                        1.         When Sennacherib threatened, Hezekiah embraced the LORD.

                                    (2 Chronicles 32)

                        2.         When Hezekiah faced death, he embraced the LORD.

                                    (2 Kings 20)

IX.      WE WASTE OUR TRIALS WHEN WE REFUSE TO THINK ABOUT THEM IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY.

2 Corinthians 4:17–“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”

Job 19:25-27–“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”

Conclusion

If we respond rightly to our trials:

Trials can correct us.

Trials can call us. (That is, to call us back close to God.)

Trials can carry us. (That is, they serve as a transition in our lives.)

Trials can change us. (In a good way.)

Trials can conform us. (Into the image of Christ.)

If we respond wrongly to our trials:

Trials can change us. (In a bad way.)

Trials can control us. (Where all we do is focus on our trials.)

Trials can corrupt us. (If we turn our backs on God.)

Trials can callous us. (Cause us to harden our hearts toward God.)

Don’t waste your trials!

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!