Why does God allow trouble?

Well, this of course, is one of the questions that people ask especially during times of great difficulty and trouble in their lives. 

In this passage, Paul does not ask the question, but he does explain in great detail what happened to him when he was in a very difficult situation, and his explanation is very helpful to us in our own times of trouble.

Please notice what Paul says in 2nd Cor 2:8 "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: That we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life"

In the Amplified version of the Bible, it says, "we were so utterly and unbearably weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life" 2nd Cor 2:8, 

Going on, Paul says in verse 9, Paul says, Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the very sentence of death"

By the way, Paul does not give us the specifics of the trouble which came to them, but we know itwas while they were in Asia, that is on one of his missionary journeys recorded for us in the Book of Acts. 

Now, here 2nd Cor 1, is Paul's answer to why the Lord had allowed this trouble to come into their lives. It's in the last part of verse 9. And, again, from the Amplified version, it reads, 

"But that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of God Who raises the dead. 

So, Paul had come to understand that God's purpose in all of this trouble, was to help Paul and his ministry companions not to trust in themselves, but in God. 

Sound familiar? Of course. The Bible is chock full of stories and teaching for us to trust in God and not ourselves. But, what sometimes happens to us, is that we do trust in ourselves , and it takes the loving hand of our Great God to remove those things which we are trusting in, and then, when we have nothing to trust in, we can once again place our trust back in Him. 

So, you may be going through some very painful troubles in your life at this time. Perhaps it's an illness, or it's a financial matter, or maybe it's work related, or it has to do with a relationship with others, or something in your extended family, and or the family of God in your church body. 

Which ever it is, there is perhaps some comfort and consolation and explanation for you in today's little devotional. I pray so. 

May God's great grace be upon you today in abundance. 

Many blessings to you. 


Bob Grenier

"Two things God does for His people"

See Hosea 14:4

"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely"

God's people, the children of Israel had backslidden. That is, they had gone away from God, and had given themselves over to idolatry. The had cast the Word of God behind them, and would not listen to the prophets that God sent to them, and consistently rebelled against God. They intentionally, over and over again, refused to listen to God. And, as a result they came under the judgement of God by the Assyrians. 

But, look at what He said He would do for them. "I will heal their 

backsliding " God is the great healer, not only of bodies, but more importantly of hearts. He heals hearts and He forgives sin. 

But, there is one other thing mentioned in this verse, as to what God does. "I will love them freely" The word freely here, has the idea of voluntarily. It's something God wants to do. We don't have to earn, nor can we purchase His love. He will love us freely. 

Thank You Lord for the things You do. There are so many more then what we have mentioned here. But, these two are so significant. We love You, and thank You, in Jesus name. 

Blessings to you.

Pastor Bob Grenier

How can the weak be strong?

Joel 3:10b "Let the weak say, I am strong" How can this be, that a weak person can say, I am strong" 

Let me ask it again.

How can this be, that a weak person can say, I am strong, and then be strong? 

Well, first of all, if God says it, it has to be true, because God does not lie, and He cannot lie.

This verse is actually speaking prophetically of the blessings of the second coming, and of Jesus Christ's deliverance of His people during that time. 

But, the truth of this verse is not merely for the future, it's for us today. How do we know that, because Paul the apostle spoke of it in 2nd Corinthians 12:10b "For when I am weak, then I am strong"

He was speaking of what he had learned from Christ and about Christ and the strength that Christ gives to His people. 

Paul had come to experience on a personal level, that at the worst of times in his life, during the most difficult of all experiences, when he was brought to the end of himself, that it was then that he really found the strength of God in his life.

I think we can all identify with what we are like when all is going well, and we don't seem to have any problems at all. ( Not that those times are somehow not to be appreciated and enjoyed, they are from God also ) but, when we are in those "good" times, we can begin to become self sufficient and self reliant as it were. 

But, when the winds of trouble and sorrow come, they can sober us up very quickly, ( sometimes it takes more wind of trouble then others ) but, they can eventually lead us to see our own weakness, and then we realize how self reliant we are, and begin to turn back to the Lord for His strength. We become dependent on God, God dependent once again. 

So, how can the weak be strong? By turning to our strength, who is Jesus Christ, and we will find strength. 

God calls us to have faith in Him, and to believe that He is our strength etc. There is nothing magical about saying what is found there in Joel 3:10b, but, rather it's speaking to our belief in God. 

May God help us today, to find our strength in God, and exercise our faith in Him. 

Blessings to you. 

Bob Grenier