Have you ever been searching for something and you could not find it? You thought you knew where it was, but you could not locate it no matter how hard you searched. This usually occurs when you are in a hurry or when you need to leave for somewhere. Am I right?

I placed a little tack on the wall to hang my keys and door fob on, so they are always there when I’m heading out the door. When I return home, I do not walk past the kitchen without hanging them back up. Last month we laid my father to rest. He had battled Alzheimer’s for years, and we have peace knowing that he is in heaven now with the Savior with a renewed body and mind.

I often check on my mother as I know she is adjusting to life without her love of fifty-four years. Most times, when we speak, she is sorting through and reorganizing things. It is incredible the items she is rediscovering. On the way to the doctor recently, she showed me a cameo ring with a  professional photo we had taken over thirty years ago.

I joked with her that she better not have an estate sale because the things she is finding are not junk but keepsakes. These things help her feel closer to dad as she remembers everything they have been through in a lifetime.

 Search for Stronger Faith?

You know, faith is one of my most favorite things to write, read, and talk about. Faith is the cornerstone of Christianity. Without faith in Jesus Christ, what are we left with? A very unpleasant eternity, for sure. However, God has endowed each one of us who belong to Him on earth for a reason, and we are going to need much more than saving faith to navigate our journey each day.

So, how can we find that more profound level of faith to live as victorious Christians? I have to tell you that our faith develops through trials. Spending time with God in prayer and reading his Word are excellent ways to grow closer to Him, learn about who He desires us to be, and fill our reservoir with a bounty of scripture.

---

However, in the crucible of painful and difficult trials, our faith is being strengthened. #FurnaceofAffliction @Pleasing2Potter
Share on X

---

From Noah to Joseph, then Moses, and even King David in the Old Testament. Their faith grew stronger through trying and difficult times. God had Noah build an ark the size of nearly two football fields and over four stories high. And there is no record of it having even rained on the earth yet!

Growing in Him

Young Joseph was hated and despised by his brothers. They threw him into a pit and then sold him into slavery. He was accused of rape by his slave owner’s wife and then thrown into prison. Sometimes that stronger faith we seek finds us through the unexpected trials and painful experiences we encounter. However, look at what it says in Genesis about God’s role during Joseph’s unforeseen and difficult circumstances.

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. Genesis 39:21. 

God was right there with Joseph. Refining and preparing him for the role He had in store for his life. He may have been a tad naive as a teenager and a little prideful with his coat of many colors and the dreams he had about his family members bowing down to him.

God needed to strip away some of those things for Joseph to become the vessel integral in sustaining Israel’s nation during a famine. Spiritual maturity is taking place as God strengthens and develops our faith during painful and unexpected trials. Is there anything that God has been convicting you that needs to be stripped away in your life?

Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner. Proverbs 25:4. (ASV)

God’s Love for You

Renowned Bible teacher and pastor, Dr. Charles F. Stanley states in his book, The Blessings of Brokenness: Why God Allows Us to Go Through Hard Times, “God moves in our lives because He loves us too much to see us continue in our sin, remain in a lukewarm spiritual state, or go unfulfilled in His purpose for our lives.”

God’s love for us is unconditional, indescribable, and everlasting. However, sometimes the tests involved in giving us a more substantial faith can be unbearable and excruciating. A critical factor in this process is how we respond to the trials. So, we must be prepared in our search to grow in Christ, knowing that there will be difficulties. David spent thirteen years after being anointed the next king hiding and running from King Saul, who wanted him dead!

It takes time for one’s faith to develop. So don’t panic if things seem to move slowly. God lovingly strips away the impurities in our lives. He carefully adds a dash or two of resolve, a pinch of tenacity, and maybe some fresh sprigs of fearlessness. He is molding and reshaping in preparing us for service.

 

God’s Not Finished

…And let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith… Hebrews 12:2.

I want you to remember these seven things amid your painful trials and testing as you desire a more robust faith.

God uses trials to strengthen your faith. (Everything passes through His hands.)

Getting stronger faith is necessary for maturing as a Christian.

God is with you during the stormy seasons in life.

God’s love for you will give your comfort in your pain.

Gods’ purpose will be revealed when you seek Him.

God will bring you through the fiery trials.

God wants you to choose joy, knowing He is preparing you.

 

Finally,  I leave you with this. Growing pains are never easy to handle or understand. Growing spiritually is necessary to be an effective ambassador for Christ. God has chosen you. You are unique to Him and have been selected to serve in your unique way. (Ephesians 2:10) So embrace the prospect of a stronger faith. Seek God with all your heart, and you will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13) And remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6.)

 

Walking in Faith,

Horace Williams Jr.

 

 

You can also find even more encouragement from Horace on his social media sites – Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

You can order The Furnace of Affliction: How God Uses Our Pain and Suffering for His Purposes on Amazon.

Finding a Stronger Faith May Hurt for a Season