Four things you can do when you have tragedies,death, or disappointments.
(1) You can become bitter, accuse and blame God.
(A) Murmurers: Murmuring begins in the thoughts or mind. ie. thoughts of discontent, or of being mistreated by the Lord, or being misunderstood by God’s people (1Cor. 10:10-11)"Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer;"
(a) Nothing will reveal the content of the heart like suffering.
(b) God allows trials to see how much we have learned.
(Ill.) Pop quiz in school, when a test was given your answers reveal how well you had paid attention and how much you had learned.
(c) If you belong to Jesus, you are in His school.
(Eph. 4:20-21) Paul said, concerning Christ as a teacher, "Have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus"
Read (1Peter 4:12-13)
(2) God May Allow Afflictions For Our Own Good
(1) (Psalms 119:67). "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word."
(Psalms 119:71) "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
(3) You Can Pity Yourself. You might even believe you are the only one suffering.
(Ill.) David in the cave of Adulam "No man careth for my soul."
(a) Refuge failed: Fortune turned against him. He went from being a ruler to a refugee, from a palace to a pit, from a king’s court to cave.
(b) Hear the cry of a forsaken man. His enemies sought to take his life.
His friends had deserted him in a time of adversity
(4) You Can Encourage Yourself In The Lord!
(A) David cried unto the Lord, "Thou Art My refuge, Thou Wilt Deal Bountifully With Me."
