Trials: Curse or Blessing?

How many of us look at the hard times in our lives, the trials, the deep valleys that we go through, as negative experiences?
We often associate the good times with God’s blessing and the bad times or hard times with His punishment, discipline or even abandonment.
However, for those who trust in the Lord, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Bible tells us that God allows sun and rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matt 5:45 says that: you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous 
All of it is part of the provision, benefit and growth that God deems necessary for each one of us. But when we are going through it, do we really see it that way?
It is funny but as I look back at some of the hardest times of my life, the times that have made the biggest impact on my emotions, strength, finances, physical health etc, I can clearly see them now, as the times when God was closest to me.  I can look back and see His fingerprints all over my life and although I didn’t necessarily feel it at the time, it was those very experiences that drove me to my knees and kept me closest to Him. It was also at those very moments of pain and confusion that I experienced the most growth in my life.  I know now that His presence and providence was guiding me every step of the way.
In fact I believe it is through the hard times that God does His best work. He stretches us sometimes beyond what we ever believed could be our capacity. Sometimes we don’t see until years later how important those lessons were for our ultimate well being.

Furthermore, it is through our trials that God helps to prepare us to help others who will someday go through similar circumstances. Someday we will be able to see the greater picture and the purpose for our sufferings and trials, for now we must learn to walk in faith and trust.
If a broken heart is what keeps us close to God then really our prayer should be “Lord break my heart,” because anything that draws us closer to Him has infinite value.
Next time you are going through a particularly hard time in your life, run to the only One who can truly help you.  The One who promises to use everything you go through for your good and for His glory. Trust in the only One who holds the future; who will never leave you or forsake you. Allow Him to take you through the trials and to mold you and shape you into a beautiful vessel fit for His use. Face the trial head on; hand it over to God and ask, “Lord, in what redemptive way can you use this mess in my life?”

I can only promise one thing and it is this.... He will never let you down.