How do you thrive under trials?

[Figure of eighty]

I just feel stressed from poor treatment from parents. Tending to kids. Ex arguing with me-- trying to live Gods way but im breaking down. In everyway. 

 

I feel abandoned by God bc he wont speak or give direction. Im trying not to leave him bc i just feel left myself.

[missmuffet]

With God.

[Jayne]

2 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

I just feel stressed from poor treatment from parents. Tending to kids. Ex arguing with me-- trying to live Gods way but im breaking down. In everyway. 

 

I feel abandoned by God bc he wont speak or give direction. Im trying not to leave him bc i just feel left myself.

You thrive in the trials by thriving when NOT in the trials.

I was just reading in Jeremiah 12 yesterday the familiar passage where Jeremiah complained to God that many people were plotting against him.  God told him this:

"If you've raced with men on foot and they have worn  you out, how can you compare with horses?  If you stumble in the safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?  Your brothers, your own family - even they have betrayed you."

Jeremiah was worried about men who wanted him dead and sought God.  God told him to hang on - that it was about to get worse.  His own FAMILY was against him.  Jeremiah wept alot, but kept doing what God called him to do.

When the Apostle Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was blinded, God sent Ananias to go and heal him AND he told Ananias to explain to Paul that he, God, would show Paul how much he would suffer in serving God.  Paul thrived nonetheless.  Singing while imprisoned and sharing the gospel knowing where it would lead - to his death.

Yes, life can be awful.

When Christians are miserable and morose everyday and every thing in their life is a burden and they constantly wish for life to be different and neglect prayer, Bible reading, and living FOR God and WITH God, every day becomes a horrible thing and they blame God for it.  They immerse themselves IN the pain of the trials desiring pity and rejecting help.

I've had horrid days - been at the point of suicide twice - regreted MUCH in my life, but I know that it my choice to be at peace no matter how hard life can be or to wallow in self-pity blaming EVERYONE else for all the woe.

I no longer choose the woe anymore.  Circumstances have not changed.  My mind and heart have.

The trials still come.  The trials still hurt.  I don't face them like a pathetic and frightened rabbit anymore or like a self-pitying and fragile woman.  I don't blame the trials on others anymore.  I focus on my relationship with Christ and my responsibility to others and what God wants me to do.

I face the trials of life - and this summer has been a nightmare for my family - but, I face the trials in the same way that I face every single day.  WITH Christ.  In his Word.  Seeking truth.  Doing what it required of me with joy and peace.

Edited August 14, 2021 by Jayne

[Figure of eighty]

2 hours ago, missmuffet said:

With God.

Yeah but when He's silent then what?

[missmuffet]

16 minutes ago, Figure of eighty said:

Yeah but when He's silent then what?

That is when you need to pray all that much harder and sit back and see what He does. God's timing is different than our timing.

Edited August 15, 2021 by missmuffet

[Figure of eighty]

34 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

That is when you need to pray all that much harder and sit back and see what He does. God's timing is different than our timing.

Okay. Ill try. Its a bit more challenging with kids but ill try.

[missmuffet]

46 minutes ago, Figure of eighty said:

Okay. Ill try. Its a bit more challenging with kids but ill try.

There has to be a time when you are alone and it is quiet. That is the time to go off by yourself and pray. 

[The_Patriot21]

How to thrive...well you dont by having a pity party. First and foremost you need to have your faith in Jesus.

After that you need to calmly do something about it. I watch a tv series titled "SEAL Team". Its a fictional tale following a navy SEAL team (its a special forces unit, it stands for Sea Air and Land) and every time the team runs into a difficult and unforseen issue in the battlefield and the team started stressing out the team leader would say "work the problem"

And its good advice and has real life application. In our lives when we face a challenge, just like that SEAL team we tend to stress out and focus on how bad our lives are, on how bad that problem is, and all the bad that can come from it. And thats all we see.

But instead if we focus our energy on "working the problem" it becomes a game changer. In the show the team had a mission goal, and when the problem came up they had to figure out how to overcome that issue in order to complete that goal.

You have come on here multiple times with different problems and seem hesitant to take advice offered. Thats ok, maybe it doesnt apply were not where your at, but i do know that apparently, its not getting better.

You need to set a goal. A end goal that will get you where you want to be in your life. My suggestion is to find your own place away from your family.

Then you need to work towards that issue, you need to figure out what problems are stopping you from achieving that goal, and what problems are not, then you need to start working those problems one at a time. Isolate one problem, find a solution, and fix that problem and move on to the next. You may not fix them all perfect and it may get messy, but regardless work it.

For example...you want to move out but dont have the money. If your unemployed maybe seek out employment. If your employed and it doesnt pay enough or if your not qualified for jobs in your area, then try and find ways to increase you job skills (trade school, college, etc) so you can get a better job.

And continue to fix the problems one at a time. If theres a problem that isnt stopping you, say ex arguing with you...ignore them. Put them on the back burner. If he calls you and wants to argue, state your position politely and firmly and then hang up on him. And dont answer the phone again.

Prioritize your problems, work them one at a time and keep in constant prayer throughout. It will be hard...welcome to life. But its easier if you have a goal to work towards.

 

[Arrabon]

@Figure of eighty

8 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

I just feel stressed from poor treatment from parents. Tending to kids. Ex arguing with me-- trying to live Gods way but im breaking down. In everyway. 

 

I feel abandoned by God bc he wont speak or give direction. Im trying not to leave him bc i just feel left myself.

Well, I am nearly 80 years old and I have survived and thrived under trials that that lasted 20 years or more. Many others that lasted 5 years, or 10 years.

I have been with the Lord 43 years, and found that trials and many other difficulties were God's "Fertilizer" for growth,"

We don't grow when life is "Rosy".

I have felt the same as you, and that's when I got down on my knee's and poured my heart out to God.

I had read the bible a lot and become acquainted with personally, who God is and His promises, so I shared all my feelings from knowing God and those promises.

God has plans for us, and trials and suffering are how God gets us ready for our future of serving Him and becoming closer to him, so praise God that He is preparing you out of His love for you.

Most of those in the New Testament didn't just suffer for their faith, but they died. True Christianity is not for the faint of heart.

Read James 1: 2-4, "2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

1 Peter 4:18-19

18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

I will be praying for you!!!

Edited August 15, 2021 by Arrabon

[SIC]

When I was younger, I used to revile God when I went through trials. I have even told God " You are a stingy God.". God is His infinite mercy responded to my reviling with kindness and helped me grow spiritually.

Now when I go through trials I have atleast learnt to keep my mouth shut. I neither praise God nor revile him. I just wait for the trial to get over..

I'm yet to reach a level of maturity where I can praise God irrespective of the circumstances..