Sanctified

Tell me what charges you have against me. (Job 10:2)

I'm weary Father. I've prayed about this for a long time and nothing visible or noticeable has changed. I'm hurting here.

Oh tested soul, perhaps the Lord is sending you through this trial to develop your gifts. You have some gifts that would never have been discovered if not for trials. Do you know that your faith never appears as great in the warm summer weather as it does during a cold winter? Your love is all too much like a firefly, showing very little light except when surrounded by darkness.

And hope is like the stars - unseen in the sunshine of prosperity and only discovered during a night of adversity. Afflictions are often the dark settings God uses to mount the jewels of His children's gifts, causing them to shine even brighter.

Wasn't it just a short time ago that on your knees you prayed, "Lord, I seem to have no faith. Please show me that I do"? Wasn't your prayer, even though you may not have realized it completely at the time, actually asking for trials? For how can you know you have faith, until your faith is exercised? You can depend upon the fact that God often sends trials so that our gifts may be discovered and so we may be certain of their existence. And there is more than just discovering our gifts...we experience real growth in grace as another result of our trials being sanctified by Him.

Being left alone by Satan is not evidence of being blessed.

Prayers are heard, and will always be answered. Now rest, in the times of pain, worry, and anxiety...God reigns. Rest.