The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren—A Synopsis (continued). Chapter 25—Transformed by Trouble (pages 193-200) Summary A Christian will face a myriad of problems throughout his life, as is forecast in various texts throughout the Bible. But God has a purpose for every circumstance that a believer will face throughout his life; that of developing the believer’s character, of drawing the believer closer to God by increasing his faith and of eliminating superficiality in the believer’s prayers and worship. Christians should know that all of life’s circumstances (smooth or rough) are either directly caused or permitted by God. What qualifies as an accident to the believer is only an incident to God. Everything that happens to the believer has spiritual significance. A key passage exemplifying this truth is Romans 8:28, 29, which essentially indicates that in truth everything (illness, debt, disasters, divorce, death, good fortune, friendships, love, loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, rejection, etc.) that happens to a believer is part of God’s grand design for him in order that he may grow spiritually into the image of Jesus Christ. But a Christian always has the power of choice when it comes to how he responds to the circumstances of life. A wrong choice will produce spiritual stagnation, or worse, decay. But a correct choice will mirror the qualities and character of Jesus Christ, i.e., how He would respond to the circumstance. The following mental actions will help the believer make the right choice: · Remember that God’s plan is good. God knows everything, He knows what is best for the believer and He has only the believer’s best interests at heart; therefore, the Christian must stay focused on God’s plan for his life and not the difficulties he may experience. Circumstance and pain or temporary; character and its rewards are eternal. · Rejoice and give thanks. The Bible teaches that the believer is to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. It also teaches to rejoice in the Lord always, not over every circumstance of pain and suffering. But every believer may know that God will not permit him to endure more than he is capable of enduring “in the Lord,” i.e., with God’s help. · Refuse to give up. Character-building is a slow process that can either be accelerated or slowed depending on the type of choices a Christian makes when confronted by difficult circumstances. Quotes “God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character.” (pg. 193) ‘Life is a series of problems. Every time you solve one, another is waiting to take its place. Not all of them are big, but all are significant in God’s growth process for you.” (pg. 193) “God uses problems to draw you closer to Him.” (pg. 194) “When we’re in pain, we don’t have the energy for superficial prayers.” (pg. 194) “Problems force us to look to God and depend on Him instead of ourselves.” (pg. 194) “Because God is sovereign and in control, accidents are just incidents in God’s good plan for you.” (pg. 195) “Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.” (pg. 197) “What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever.” (pg. 197) “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! Your focus will determine your feelings.” (pg. 198) “God wants you to thank Him that He will use your problems to fulfill His purposes.” (pg. 199) “When you grasp the eternal consequences of your character development, you’ll pray fewer ‘Comfort me’ prayers . . . and more ‘Conform me’ prayers . . . .” (pg. 199) Scriptures 2 Corinthians 4:17; John 16:33; 1 Peter 4:12; Psalm 34:18; Genesis 39:20-22; Daniel 6:16-23; Jeremiah 38:6; 2 Corinthians 11:25; Daniel 3:1-26; 2 Corinthians 1;9; Psalm 139:16; Romans 8:28, 29; Matthew 6:10; 1:1-16; Romans 5:3, 4; 1 Peter 1:7a; James 1:3; Hebrews 5:8, 9; Romans 8:17; Jeremiah 29:11; Genesis 50:20; Isaiah 38:17; Hebrews 12:10b; 12:2a; 11:26; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:17, 18; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Philippians 4:4; Luke 6:23; James 1:3, 4; Hebrews 10:36. Conclusion/Comments Every circumstance a Christian faces in life, good or bad, has been designed by God for his benefit, so he should face them “in Christ” and rejoice in and thank God for them.