Lesson 9
How To Benefit From Problems
Most of us would like quick solutions to our problems, but God wants to make sure that all of His disciplines for character development in us are accomplished before He removes the problems.
Remember, "whom the Lord loves, he disciplines...".
God uses the pressure of problems to motivate us to a greater level of spiritual maturity.
Remember this, "...that all things work together for our good..." - for our spiritual growth and maturity. We may become part-time Christians, setting aside certain blocks of time for our progressing, study and growth, but God is on it full time. everything in life, God uses to help you grow. When you got saved, God took possession of your life, your will, your development. Even when you quit trying, He doesn't. He is using every resource, every situation and event, every association to teach you, develop you, or complete something in you.
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Benefits:
1. Receiving more grace from God -
We receive God's grace through humility.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Experiencing conflicts we cannot solve will break pride and give us grace.
2. Self-examination -
When a major conflict arises, we have the most effective motivation to search the inner motives, actions, words, and attitudes of our hearts.
3. New insights in scripture -
Scripture is made more meaningful as we experience a situation the scripture applies to. This is experiential learning.
Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
One of the first responses that we should have to our conflicts is to read the scriptures and find new meaning for ourselves in our present situation. Ask God to reveal new principles which we can apply to our particular problem.
Reading biographies in the scriptures and visualizing the persons' circumstances in light of what we are experiencing also helps us to internalize scripture.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
4. The unifying of the family -
When the family begins pulling apart, God often allows a member to have a problem which he cannot resolve. It is God's intention to use this problem as a motivating factor to bring the entire family together to work out a solution. Crises can be a turning point for the family or church.
5. The uniting of the church family -
As the church becomes concerned about a problem which threatens one of its members, the others will be drawn together. Perhaps special prayer will be called for and special teaching can be brought forth to help each one rid themselves of potential problems or dangers and hindrances to prayer.