Reasons God Permits Problems in your life

This is actually an email sent to me by a sister in Christ. It's worth sharing, just in time for Thanksgiving, I believe.

1. God permits problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God allowing this situation to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." Proverbs 20:30

2. God permits problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags ... if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God tested your faith by allowing a problem or two into your life? What do problems reveal about you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something...health, money, a relationship...by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws." Psalms 119:71-72

4. God permits problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Think about something you may be going through at this very moment… HOLD ON! BE STRONG! "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good"... Genesis 50:20

5. God permits problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady." Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point: God is at work in your life-even when you do not recognize it or understand it. However, it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

Let's do lift our hands up to Him for Thanksgiving!