Our Great Opportunities
Our trials are great opportunities to recognize God's love and manifestations, and to trust Him with unwavering confidence.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the treasures found in the midst of trials, emphasizing that difficult situations are opportunities for God to prove His love to us. He encourages believers to see every challenge as a manifestation of God's glory, turning clouds into rainbows and mountains into paths of ascension. Cowman highlights that God's blessings often come in unexpected ways, packaged in rough circumstances, but containing treasures of great value.
Text
"Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the day of trouble?" (Job 38:22-23).
Our trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles. It would be a haven of rest and an inspiration of unspeakable power if each of us would henceforth recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and look around for the signals of His glorious manifestations; then, indeed, would every cloud become a rainbow, and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration.
If we will look back upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our Heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us, and given us the richest blessings, has been the time we were strained and shut in on every side. God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love. --A. B. Simpson
Trust Him in the dark, honor Him with unwavering confidence even in the midst of mysterious dispensations, and the recompense of such faith will be like the moulting of the eagle's plumes, which was said to give them a new lease of youth and strength. J. R. Macduff
"If we could see beyond today
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.
"If we could know beyond today
As God doth know,
Why dearest treasures pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.
"'If we could see, if we could know,'
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey."
Sermon Outline
- Recognizing Trials as Opportunities
- The Importance of Trust and Confidence
- The Hope of a Brighter Future
- Looking beyond today to God's perspective
- Finding joy and peace in the midst of sorrow
Key Quotes
“God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love.” — Charles E. Cowman
“If we could see beyond today As God can see; If all the clouds should roll away, The shadows flee;” — Charles E. Cowman
“We often say, 'If we could see, if we could know,' But God in love a veil doth throw Across our way;” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Recognize every difficult situation as an opportunity for God to prove His love and manifest His presence.
- Trust God with unwavering confidence, even in the midst of uncertainty and darkness.
- Look beyond today to God's perspective, and find hope and joy in the midst of sorrow.