We always hear people say things like, "I have been doing everything right. I have been fasting and praying, giving, loving my neighbor, obeying the Lord, reading Scripture daily, and walking faithfully with the Lord. What did I do wrong? Why has God allowed me to go through such hard times? Does he not care about me? Am I saved?" To be honest, we all have felt a little something like this.

Through my walk with faith, I've learned to be on guard. While asking all of these questions and questioning God, Satan will try to attack. He will say things like, "No. He doesn't love you. Look at those nonbelievers who are not going through adversity, but you say Jesus Christ died for you, and yet you are going through the worst troubles of your life." Don't let the devil give you fear.

Trials can lead into atheism. When your faith is little, the devil can rip it out. Don't let him put you in despair and bitterness towards God. Don't ever forget the other times God has delivered you because he will do it again. The devil will try to say it was a coincident, but with God, there is no coincidence. Cry out to God. Block Satan off and always remember that we have victory in Christ.

Think of trials as training.

God has to train his troops. Have you ever heard of any staff sergeant who got to where he was without going through tough situations? God has to prepare his children for the future.

I remember when I said, "Why God? Why this?" God told me to wait of this timing. God has delivered me in the past, but when you are going through bad times, all that is being thought about is right now. God has used trials to build me up, answer difficult prayers, open doors, help others, and miracles where I knew it was only God who could have done this. While I was worrying, the Lord gave me comfort, encouragement, motivation, and He was working behind the scenes. If as believers, we're burden by when our brothers and sisters suffer, imagine how God feels. Always, always, always, remember that he loves you and he reminds us time after time in His word that He will never forsake us.

Trials create perseverance.

James 1:12 - "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love me."

Hebrews 10:35-36 - "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

Honestly, I don't know.

Sometimes, we have to admit that we just don't know instead of going crazy to try to find out a reason why. We must trust in the Lord that he knows best.

Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

Humility.

God is making using it to make you more humble.

2 Corinthians 12:7 - "Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud."

Proverbs 18:12 - "Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor."

1 Peter 5:6-8 - "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

God's Discipline.

Hebrews 12:5-11 - "And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son.? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Proverbs 3:11-13 - "My child, do not reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t get angry when he corrects you. The Lord corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in. Happy is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gets understanding."

To become more dependent on the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

John 15:5 - “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

So we can share in the sufferings of Christ.

1 Peter 4:12-16 - "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 - "For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."

It helps us grow as believers and become more like Christ.

Romans 8:28-29 - "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan. God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters."

Philippians 1:6 - "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

1 Corinthians 11:1 - "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

It helps us develop character.

Romans 5:3-6 - "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character' and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured our into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."

It helps build our faith in the Lord.

James 1:2-6 - "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. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Psalm 73:25-28 - "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

To remind us that God is always in control.

Luke 8:22-25 - "One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Honestly, we are all guilty of constantly questioning why things happen to us. Instead of questioning, we should dive into the word and seek God for our comfort. He is our rock and our stronghold.