Getting Out of the Way + Letting God Get the Glory During Trial
Author: Tanner Reuss
Have you ever stood in your own way or kept God out of arms length in anger?
Me too, friend.
If you listened to this week’s episode of the podcast, then you got to hear a little bit of my faith journey. But, if you didn’t, all you need to know is that in 2019, I was diagnosed with an incurable disease that has resulted in 5 abdominal surgeries and resulted in my husband and I walking in years of infertility. I can be honest and say that when I first began walking through this, I was grateful to the Lord for sending me a doctor who would listen, for allowing me a surgery that would provide me relief, for giving me my life back. But, that quickly dwindled when year after year, I was in the same place again - in unbearable pain, needing more surgery. I remember crying out to the Lord and simply asking “why?”. The truth is, for years, I was wrapped up in my pain, my feelings, my anger with God for not answering my prayers the way I saw fit. I was crying out to heaven with one palm shut, seeking control that only God has. I believe that so many of us spend years living this way in the same way that I did and I want to encourage you to surrender today—to get out of your own way and let God get the glory in the middle of your trial. Let Him bring purpose from pain.
There is this common misconception that once we become followers of Jesus that our life will be sunshine and rainbows. That truly couldn’t be further from the truth and scripture tells us of that. We have so many examples of bible characters experiencing great trial: Moses, David, Joseph, Naomi, Job, etc. The list goes on and on because God wanted us to be able to look at scripture at find solace, to understand that they felt what we feel and so did Jesus. Paul writes in Acts 14:22, “we must go through much tribulation to enter the kingdom of heaven.” I will be the first to tell you it’s really easy to know these things, but to live them out is very different. I want to talk about key prinicple’s the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention specifially to help us in these seasons of desolation.
Recognize that God is in control & focus on His promises.
It’s important in whatever you’re going through to understand and acknowledge God’s sovereignty. We are not and will not ever be to the level of control that God is and we need to surrender to Him and trust that He is working things out for our good (Romans 8:28). One of the biggest ways the Lord has led me in my own life to do that is meditating on His promises in scripture. It is really easy, especially growing up in church, to listen to what everyone else says and not ever read scripture for yourself. But, when you read God’s word and allow it to renew your mind and meditate on His promises, it begins to change everything.
2. Trust in God’s timing & pray for strength & wisdom.
One of the biggest lessons I learned throughout my own journey is the power and weight of prayer and how important it is for us to believe in what we are praying for. The truth of the matter is that God wants true, authentic relationship with you and that is most found in prayer, which can be as simple as a conversation with Him. In the same way that we don’t immediately trust people with our entire lives upon first meeting them, we have to work at a relationship with the Lord and continue to be in conversation with Him. The more you’re in scripture and talking to Him, the easier it is to trust Him and to trust that He is working on your behalf.
Everyday will not be easy. There will be doubt, question, fear — but, He will meet you exactly where you are. I encourage you to pray for wisdom, for the scriptures to come alive to you, for supernatural revelation as you read them and for the strength to endure. Mark 11:23 says “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” We can have hope that what we pray will come to pass—all we have to do is ask and believe.
3. Let your trial be used for God’s glory & remember the greater perspective.
For many years, I remained stuck in my own sadness, anger, etc. I was spiritually paralyzed because I could not see past the moment I was in. I could not see the beauty that was to come, the women my story would help, and the joy that would come. I want to encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him how your story and trial can be used for the glory of His kingdom—how it can impact others. At the end of the day, this trial is about so much more than you or your spouse or your family. It’s about how the spiritual growth your facing in this very moment, will be someone' else’s ticket to surrender, to heaven. Your spiritual growth and your story will impact many if you let it, friend.
4. The enemy seeks to entitle and isolate. Prioritize community.
I think it’s important to stay on guard in seasons like this because it is so vital to protect ourselves from the infiltration of the enemy. In one moment, one thought, the enemy can have you exactly where he wants you. For so many years, I allowed him to manipulate my thoughts and give me a ‘woe is me’ mentality. I thought that I was the only hurting person in the world and that my suffering was far greater than anyone else’s, that no one would ever understand. As we discussed earlier, there are endless scriptures that tell us quite the opposite, that we are to suffer as Christ suffered. We have to be able to humble ourselves enough to know that we do not deserve more on earth than what Christ received. Thoughts that tell us otherwise are lies from the enemy, planted to give us this feeling of entitlement and to keep us isolated from those that would encourage and love on us in hard seasons. I tell people all the time that the Lord chased me down with community; my thoughts and feelings began to truly change when I joined the Refined Sisterhood bible study last summer and now, glory be to God, I get to be on staff and allow Him to use my story and gifts and talents to minister to people who are walking through that exact same thing.
I leave you with just a couple of questions, friend — What has this trial forced me to do that I usually tend to neglect? What is being exposed about my trust in God through this trial?
I encourage you to ask yourself these questions, humble yourself before the Lord and truly seek out His will for the current moment your in. We love you and are praying for you.