Purpose Driven Life Day 25: Transformed by Trouble 

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

God has a purpose behind every problem. 
He uses circumstances to develop our character. In fact, He depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than He depends on our reading the Bible. No one is immune to pain or insulated from suffering and no one gets to skate through life problem-free.

1 Peter 1:12-13
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you are participating in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

God uses problems to draw us closer to Himself. 
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.

Your most profound and intimat experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days - when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you're out of options, when the pain is great, and you turn to God alone. It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers. When we're in pain, we don't have the energy for superficial prayers. We learn things about God in suffering that we cant learn any other way.

Problems force us to look to God and depend on Him instead of ourselves. You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got. Regardless of the cause, none of your problems could happen without God's permission. Because God is sovereignly in control, accidents are jut accidents in God's good plan for you.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Building Christlike Character
We are like jewels, shaped with hammer and chisel od adversity. If a jeweler's hammer isn't strong enough to chip off our rough edges, God will use a sledge hammer. If we're really stubborn, He uses a jackhammer.

Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

What happens actually in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, But your character will last forever.

1 Peter 1:7
These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

When you've been refined by trials, people can see Jesus' reflection in you.

Since God intends to make you like Jesus, He will take you through the same experiences Jesus went through. That includes loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, rejection and many others.

Romans 8:17
Now, if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we also share in His glory.

Responding to problems as Jesus would. 
1. Remember that God's plan is good 
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It is vital that you stay focused on God's plan, not your plan or problem. That is how Jesus endured the pain of the cross and we are urged to follow His example.
Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed.
If you look within, you'll be depressed.
But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest!" -Corrie ten Boom-

Your focus will determine your feelings. The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is temporary but your reward will be eternal. Dont give in to short-term thinking. Stay focused on the end result!

2. Rejoice and give thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually. give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Notice that God tells us to give thanks 'in all circumstances" not "for all circumstances". God doesnt expect us to be thankful for evil. for sin, for suffering, or for their painful consequences in the world. Instead, God wants us to thank Him that He will use our problems to fulfill His purposes.

Colossians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

No matter what happens. You can rejoice in God's love, care, wisdom, power and faithfulness. We can also rejoice in knowing that God is going through the pain with us. We do not serve a distant and detached God who sprouts encouraging cliches safely from the sideline. Instead, He enters into our sufferings.

3. Refuse to give up
Be patient and persistent.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Character building is a slow process. Whenever we try to avoid/escape the difficulties in life, we short-circuit the process, delay our growth and actually end up with a worse kind of pain - the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance.

When you grasp the eternal consequences of your character development, we'll pray fewer "comfort me" prayers (Help me feel good) and more "conform me" prayers (Use this to make me more like You.) You know you're maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the random, baffling and seemingly pointless circumstances in life.

Don't ask "Why me?". Instead, ask "What do You want me to learn?" Then trust God and keep on doing what's right.

Hebrews 10:16
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

Don't give up - grow up!

Points to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.

Verse to remember: Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Question to consider: What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?
Peer pressure - the need to fit in, desire to be accepted.
Opens my eyes to realize that it's better to obey God and put a smile on His face than to be accepted by peers and sin against God!