Truth Woven {Waiting for God to Speak in Trial}

This morning I sat at my breakfast table, and my potty-training, ginger-colored puppy mercifully slept at my feet.  My husband chose to get some morning work done in our room and I let my boys sleep in… and I gained the most amazing hour of quiet – I made myself stop all the morning busy I normally dive into, I made my cup of hot tea, and I sat in front of my Bible and my journal.  There my heart finally got still and God spoke clearly – and I got a glimpse of truth woven through so many life moments over the past few weeks. 

For months, I’d been struggling with deep concern and heartbreak over some people I dearly love, over relationship issues and frustration with the brokenness of our world (me included!).  I’d been wrestling with when to speak and when to be quiet, and how to trust that the God I know personally, is really truly at work and has a handle on it all.  And I was tired of waiting for God to speak in trial – except I realized I wasn’t really waiting at all – I was rushing to action, trying to make things right, by my estimation, by my own hand… and asking God to help.

Did you ever notice how sometimes, you’ll hear a theme or message in several different places all over a short period of time?  

And if you pay attention, the theme starts to become woven together before your eyes, as if created just for you.  Sunday morning our pastor started a new series in James.  His first message was ideas for dealing with trial – based on James 1.  He opened his Bible and began reading, and my tears began to drip as I heard a message that felt written for my breaking heart.

Backtrack: In college, I took a course from Dr. Plaster on the book of James.  Our final exam entailed writing out the entire book.  From memory.  (And you thought algebra was hard!)  So when I say this passage is familiar to me, I mean it.  Over the years, I’ve referred countless times to James 1:2-3.  I’ve underlined, highlighted, quoted and copied it – and this is how I learned it:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4, NIV) 

Perseverance, that’s what would be produced.  So when my faith is tested, when I’m experiencing trials, I’ll be able to “stick it out” better.  That’s how I heard this passage for years and years.  But this is how my pastor read it:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, ESV, emphasis mine)

Now, the English Standard Version of the Bible is somewhat familiar to me.  But for some reason, I don’t remember ever hearing this version before, and it hit me like a flash of lightning.  Let me see if I can explain why: a few months ago, I chose “steadfast” as my word for the year.  (I wrote about it, too, so it’s preserved, what my hopes were!)  So when this version was read, all of a sudden I heard something like, “this quality you’ve longed for, the one you proclaimed you would pursue this year, this will come by trial.  This hardship you’re walking through, it’s moving you toward the likeness of Christ in the area of steadfastness.  This hardship – it is a blessing.”

What’s more, as I listened to the challenge to surrender my will to the work God wants to do through trial, I flashed back to a few days prior, when I’d studied and prepared to record a podcast with my friend Elisa, about surrendering to God’s plan.  That word was already on my heart, and I was being challenged yet again.  I scribbled my notes as fast as I could, then came back to them a few days later.  Tea in hand and puppy at my feet, I revisited the notes and this time I was awed again at how many threads were woven together to help me understand that message God had crafted for me.

So how do we see truth woven through the tapestry of our life?  How do we actually, reliably hear God speak during times of trial?  Some ideas for you:

• Renew your mind.

So much of the time, we panic, we are frustrated, or we feel helpless because we forget to think like God thinks, and we think like the one who doesn’t know Him.  Romans 12:2 challenges us to renew our minds – to literally direct our thoughts to the pattern of His truth.  We do that by reading His word, by spending time dwelling on it, by asking the Holy Spirit to instruct us in it.  Drop everything; go now.  Renew your mind!

• Surrender your will.

Literally if needed, throw up your hands and tell God, “not my will, but yours.”  (I actually did this at my breakfast table.  The neighbors probably got a show.)  As I saw pointed out in James, we’re commanded to “let” steadfastness do its work.  God so longs for us to yield to Him, and we will only grow closer to His trustworthy heart when I do.

• Believe God.

Believe He is who He says He is, and He can and will do what He says He will do.  When we choose to believe, we become part of the process of the working of His will, and we find hope amidst the most desperate circumstances.

• Listen for truth.

You have to have your ears tuned to hear it when it comes.  You tune your ears by reading the inerrant Bible often, and thoroughly.  Like recognizing good quality fabric as you feel it, use it and wear it, you’ll know Truth when you’ve heard it over and over again.  We might need to tune out some other “voices,” like media, unwise counsel, and the voices in our own heads that tempt us to hopelessness and doubt.  But if we have eyes to see, truth is woven into a tapestry so beautiful it will take our breath away – when we slow down and look into the mind of the Artist Himself.

• Wait on Him.

We may not have all the answers, the results, or the blessings we seek right away.  We might have to wait a while.  Several of the passages of scripture that speak of blessing, were spoken first to people in suffering, exile, and time of trial.  In some instances, God told them in advance they’d wait years, sometimes generations, to see prayers answered and covenants kept.  Hebrews 11 reminds us that some of the greatest heroes of the faith died without seeing their answers given.  But when we adopt a position of waiting, our hearts soften and joy can grow – because we wait with the hope that God will work – in this life or the next.  Hope is real.

While we wait on Him, here are a few truths we can hold on to (countless more to be explored…) – Thank you, Pastor Mike – I added some I needed to remember, too.  

• God is good. (James 1:16-17)
• God does not tempt us. (James 1:13-15)
• God will use every situation for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28)
• God will give us guidance if we ask Him! (James 1:18)
• God LOVES the world! (John 3:16, 1 John 3:1)

These promises are for those who are in Christ.  If you’re learning what this means or longing to do so, join my email list and reply to me personally.  It would be my greatest honor to walk alongside you in discovering God’s great love for you.

Inspiring (truth-woven, surrendered) welcome,

Angela

You might also like these posts on spiritual growth:

Waiting to Come to the Surface {Good wine and spiritual growth}

What if my formula doesn’t work? {When bad things happen to people we love}