Years ago, in the earlier youthful chapters of my life, I found myself conversing with a sister from the church after a gathering. We had both heard of the heartache that befell a friend—a sorrow that united our community in fervent prayer.

"It's so awful," I said, shaken by our friend's plight. "I've been pouring out my heart to God, praying so hard for her strength and peace."

But the response that came was a jolt, unexpected and jarring. "Well," the young woman countered, "there must be sin in her life because those who are truly saved don't suffer like that."

Her words, sharp as thorns, left me speechless, my heart aching with the chill of her judgment. On the drive home, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, her harsh words replaying over and over, striking a dissonant chord with the compassionate teachings of our Savior. This disquiet in my soul summoned the memory of a passage in John 9, where the disciples, upon encountering a man blind from birth, sought to attribute his suffering to sin.

"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" they asked, revealing their belief in affliction as divine punishment. But Jesus, with a word, upended their misconceptions and illuminated the truth, declaring, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

In that moment, Jesus made it clear that the man's blindness was not a testament to sin, but rather a backdrop for the unfolding of God's mighty works.

On the Brink of Death

Remember when I teetered on the brink of death in 2017, and the doctors could do no more to help me? Some might have whispered of curses. But when God's healing power flowed in plain sight at a public prayer service, reversing my health misfortunes, it was evident—my illness was a platform for His glory to be revealed.

Fast forward to 2019, another storm hit—brain trauma, a tempest that tested my very being. Yet now, in 2024, I can testify: God used that tribulation, that pain, that season of silence to showcase His might, His faithfulness, His glory.

Listen, nobody craves the furnace of public trials, the humiliation that tragedy can bring. Yet, in that very furnace, in the midst of the fire, God is at work. He is refining you, polishing you, preparing you to shine with a brilliance that reflects His glory.

He Can Reshape the Broken Pieces

You are chosen by God. The struggle you're enduring, God is using it to chisel your character, to sculpt you into a vessel of honor, to mold you for His divine purpose. So, reject the lies of the enemy. Not every hardship is the fruit of our folly. Sometimes, God allows us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death so that, in the end, His light might shine all the brighter through our lives.

It is in our weakness that His strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). It is through our failures that His faithfulness is magnified. Health may falter, wealth may dwindle, relationships may fray—but God is the Master Craftsman who can reshape the broken pieces into a masterpiece of victory.

Consider Job, who endured loss upon loss, yet was elevated to even greater heights of blessing, receiving double what he had before (Job 42:10). Look to King Hezekiah, who, on the cusp of death, found life renewed by the mercy of God, having 15 more years added to his life (Isaiah 38:4).

I sense in my spirit that God sent me here for somebody today that needs to grasp this revelation: you will emerge from this struggle not just restored but overflowing with blessings. God is setting you up for the grand reveal of His power and grace.

How Would We Know?

I know this test may not feel good. I totally get that, but how would we—or others—know He is a healer if we were never sick? How could we see Him as a restorer if we never lost anything? How would we recognize Him as a provider if we were never in need? How could we understand Him as a comforter if we never experienced sorrow?

How would we grasp His role as a protector if we never faced danger? How could we know Him as a mind-regulator if we never faced mental dysregulation? How could we declare Him as a deliverer if we were never bound? How would we exalt Him as a fortress if we never encountered battles?

In your deepest trials, God is revealing His multifaceted nature—He is your Healer, working miracles when medicine fails. He is your Provider, supplying your needs when resources run dry. He is your Peace, calming your storms when chaos swirls. He is your Rock, steady and unmovable when the ground shakes. He is your Refuge, sheltering you when dangers threaten. He is your Fortress, defending you when enemies advance.

He is your Guide, leading you when paths grow dim. He is your Light, illuminating your darkness with His radiance. He is your Strength, empowering you when your own might weakens. He is your Joy, renewing your spirit when sorrow seeks to steal your song.

Before the Beginning of Time

He chose you, before the beginning of time, to display His splendor and majesty. He fashioned you, a vessel of His divine purpose, to showcase His love and grace. He appointed you, an ambassador of His Kingdom, to spread His message of hope and salvation.

He anointed you, a bearer of His Spirit, to bring healing and restoration to a broken world. He marked you, a child of His covenant, to inherit His promises and proclaim His faithfulness. He commissioned you, a warrior of His cause, to stand victorious in the midst of battle. He empowered you, a witness to His glory, to testify of His goodness across the earth.

Remember this, my friend, you are not forsaken in your struggle; you are chosen to show forth the manifold excellencies of God. Stand firm in this truth and let the constancy of His grace be the pulse of your steadfast faith.

To help you do this, I’m stirring 1 Peter 2:9 NLT as the sweetener in your cup of inspiration, which declares, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."

As you drink down the contents of your cup, rejoice, my friend, for your trial is not to break you but to broadcast the faithfulness of God through you. You are chosen, appointed, anointed, and predestined for greatness. Stand tall. You are coming out of this storm with a testimony that will shake the heavens, move the earth, and cause God’s glory to shine brighter in your life than ever before!

Now let us pray with boldness and conviction.

Lord, I praise You for the assurance that my current trials are not a sign of Your anger but a testament to Your purpose—for I know that You are for me. I believe that despite the trials I face and the storms I encounter, You have chosen me for such a time as this, to refine me and to reveal Your glory through my life. I embrace this divine process, trusting that You will use my story for Your glory. By faith, I thank You in advance for all the ways You will use me to lift others, but more importantly, lift Your name on high! In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!