3. Hope in Trials

The Apostle Paul says that God has “predestined all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). All things. That’s an expansive word. Even in those moments when you feel victimized, or hurt, or just plain unlucky, God is working for your good.

When you believe this, pain and suffering lose their power. The worst part of suffering isn’t usually the suffering itself. It’s the feeling of hopelessness and meaninglessness. Most of us can endure some pain if we know there’s a purpose behind it. It’s when that pain seems pointless that we start to despair.

What God says to us is that nothing in the Christian life is wasted. No suffering in your life is random, pointless, or outside of his control. Knowing this won’t magically take away all of your hurt, but it transforms the way you experience it. When you see that God has literally harnessed every molecule of the universe to make you a son or daughter in his image, you’ll have a hope that can endure the darkest valleys.