Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily — Reason 17: Perspective in Trials
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June 17th. Day 17 of walking through “Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily” — Part 1 of “A Gospel Primer for Christians” by Milton Vincent.
Today’s reason — Perspective in Trials.
This is definitely a reason I have grown to understand more the longer I walk with God. As a new believer, I can remember being rather impatient and wanting to move as quickly as possible through trials. Don’t get me wrong, I still struggle with being patient, but I am realizing more with each thing I endure I’m not struggling FOR victory in a trial but FROM my position of victory in Christ. Now that doesn’t mean the victory will look like my humanness wants it to look, but it does mean I am a victor over, not a victim of, my trial when I am seated with Christ.
This reason also reminds me of a post I wrote a few years ago: “From SCARED to SACRED by way of the Cross.” Basically, shifting our perspective ever so slightly through the lens of the gospel can make a scary place an extremely sacred space.
Vincent has this to say about this reason to rehearse the gospel daily...
“More than anything else I could ever do, the gospel enables me to embrace my tribulations and thereby position myself to gain full benefit from them. For the gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me. When I view my circumstances in this light, I realize the gospel is not just one piece of good news that fits into my life somewhere among all the bad. I realize instead that the gospel makes genuinely good news out of every other aspect of my life including my severest trials. {Romans 5:1-5} The good news about my trials is that God is forcing them to bow to his gospel purposes and do good on to me by improving my character and making me more conformed to the image of Christ.” {Romans 8:28-29, James 1:2-4, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10}
Vincent finishes by saying this...
“Preaching the gospel to myself each day provides a lens through which I can view my trials in this way and see the true cause for rejoicing that exists in them. I can then embrace trials as friends and allow them to do God’s good work in me.”
I know this is a rather cliché thing to say, but when pondering today’s reading, it’s what comes to mind. When we are able to view our trials through the lens of Christ’s triumph, we see that they are for our good and for His glory.
Reminds me of an Aaron Keyes song, “Sovereign Over Us.”
There is strength within the sorrow
There is beauty in our tears
And you meet us in our mourning
With a love that cast out fear
You are working in our waiting
You're sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding
You're teaching us to trust
Your plans are still to prosper
You have not forgotten us
You're with us in the fire and the flood
You're faithful forever
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us
You are wisdom unimagined
Who could understand your ways
Reigning high above the heavens
Reaching down in endless grace
You're the lifter of the lowly
Compassionate and kind
You surround and you uphold me
And your promises are my delight
Even what the enemy means for evil
You turn it for our good
You turn it for our good and for your glory
Even in the valley, you are faithful
You're working for our good
You're working for our good and for your glory
So, what are your thoughts, how have you gained perspective in trials through the lens of the gospel?
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