We want to just get past this tough time.
We pray for it to be over, for deliverance.
What does God promise about our trouble ?

“In the world you will have tribulation (that’s big trouble, long-term trouble) . . . “

“Man is born into trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous . . .”

“Whoever the Lord loves He chastens (disciplines, corrects, severely) . . .”

“Call on Me in the day of trouble . . .”

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away . . .”

“Though He slay me . . .”

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?”
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Rarely can we see the whole picture like God sees it, in our time of trouble.
When God chooses to use a person mightily, He first tests him severely.
That statement holds true with the Bible verses above—and there are more.
And, there is more to these verses, as indicated by . . .

“In the world you will have tribulation (that’s big trouble, long-term trouble), but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.“

“Man is born into trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” “Consider the end of Job.“

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.“

“Whoever the Lord loves, He chastens (disciplines, corrects, severely), so God deals with you as sons.“

“Call on Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.“

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.“

“Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him.“

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?”

Jesus suffered on the cross, forsaken by God, for our sake, the likes of which we’ll never know.
Accept what Jesus did for you, and trust His perspective to cover the tough times and the mysteries of this life.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

“We are not called to be nice. We are often called to be confrontational.”
“Nice is not a fruit of the Spirit.”
—–Sandy Rios, afr.net

“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.”
“Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

A few years ago I realized that most of my prayers were asking God to make life easier.
“We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God.”

I will say to my soul, “You have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you.”

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Christians suffering severely, many with martyrdom, around the world today—that is the norm through history for following Jesus—rather than the easy Christianity in America.
– – –
“You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world.”
I say again,
“It will become harder to be a Christian in America—but it will be easier to tell who is a Christian (because it will be harder, more real).”*
– – –
The question coming up now:
Will Americans who claim or assume Christianity make the transition from easy to costly, following Jesus.
That change is upon us.
A remnant, a minority, will be faithful—and God will be faithful to them through it all.
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*Read this:
2020—A CLEAR SPIRITUAL VISION
(AWordforThought.com)