“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Maria knew something about trials. Through no fault of her own, Maria lived with pain. Everyday her pain levels grew until her evenings were filled with such pain that made it difficult for her to cope. Maria made the conscious decision that she would do everything humanly possible to alleviate her painful condition. But beyond that, she decided that she would deliberately trust the Lord God and lean heavily upon Him. Few people actually knew the pain levels she bore because she was determined to learn everything the Lord Jesus had for her to learn. She was determined to use her situation as a means to serve others and be an encouragement to them. She also knew that this trial was an assignment given to her by the Lord, and she didn’t want to miss the blessings of giving God the glory, honor and praise instead of grumbling and complaining. What a testimony.

For today: When trials come our way, may we truly trust the Lord and learn everything that He wants to teach us.