Dear Amelia,

I just read your post HERE but I couldn't reply you on your blog cuz I dun have a Xanga account so I'm posting my reply on my own blog instead cuz I know you're an avid reader of my blog... hehehe... =P

How many of us, when we're going thru difficult times, question, "God, why are You doing this to me?" We dun ask Him what His purpose is, or how we can learn from a particular experience. We simply are too quick to think that we are being singled out for His wrath or it's out of His control, or that He just doesn't care. I know that I've suffered from this near-sighted thinking before and it's not until I step back and really evaluate the situation that I start to understand what is actually going on.

Like I always quote: Adversities build character. Trials and sufferings come from God who uses them to educate and discipline us thru the experience. These things are evidence of God's love for us and need to be looked upon as just that — a molding of character into the lives of those being taught.

"Father, thank You for caring enough to want to correct or clarify things in our lives that need work. We know that You do this because You love us. Help us learn the lessons well."

Adversities are for testimony too, I believe... =) Our testimony of God's compassion and mercy in the midst of our adversities are examples for others to trust Him and live. What we see and hear about God causes us to trust Him for those things we can't understand.

"Father, You can be trusted in all things — hard and easy. Continue to remind us of Your mercy in our lives so we can tell others of what You have done. Give us boldness to speak of Your works to all we come in contact with. Thank You for choosing us to reveal Yourself to our world."

Last but not least, adversities bring glory to God! We must realize that our problems or hardships ain't ALL about us. It may seem at the time that we are the only ones affected but that is thinking too small. God working in your life causes good not only in your life but in the lives of the other members of His body, yo. Our adversities as well as our blessings are for the glory of God to all who love Him — not just us alone. We need to look at the bigger picture and recognize what He's doing in other people's lives and worship Him for His mercy and compassion! Woohoo!!!

"Father, remind us of Your plan to glorify Yourself in all that happens in our lives as well as our brothers' and sisters'. Help us see the bigger picture and notice the good that You are doing in and through us. We often only see the present problems; help us trust You for the end results!"

Dun let your grief in times of adversity cause you to say or even think things against God, ppl. Christians are to accept trials and still worship God, not because we see the reasons for them, but because God wills them and has His own reasons which believers are to trust. Develop eyes that see His bigger picture! ;D