In the congregation of Saints at Shiloh Baptist Church, we have suffered the loss of many whom we have loved and those who loved us. The memories of those we have lost and loved are still painful. Yet, we are triumphant.
These are trying times. The death of a loved one is one of the most painful experiences that we can have in our lifetime; and in those unexpected times, when we are caught by surprise. The natural question is, “Why?!” “Why does God allow it? / Why does He put us through it?”
We know from the word of God that wisdom is seeing things. Even our life experiences, through God’s eyes; from God’s perspective, His viewpoint. It is through His wisdom that we are enabled to face our trials with confidence knowing that He is in it with us.
God allows our trials to test our faith; to approve the authenticity of who and what we believe. We can rejoice in our trials knowing that our faith is genuine. Nothing compares to the building of great faith in our lives. The proving of our faith comes to make us stronger because untested faith is unreliable.
The trying of our faith tests our devotion to Christ. Can we obey Him in the midst of our test? Our trials come to demonstrate the power of God’s love for us – even in the death of a loved one. He has eternal purpose in mind, and in these moments when we question the trial that we’re in, we must believe that God is in control of the time and the intensity of our pain. In our trials, He has a specific purpose and the trial comes to meet a specific need in our lives.
The trials come to strengthen our faith. He allows it so that we can live out perseverance, thereby demonstrating the victory that He has given us to develop Christ-likeness in us. It comes to measure our spiritual maturity, and the velocity of our faith. With every test or trial God is at work in our lives and He is making us what He wants us to be – triumphant. He walks through our trials with us, and we are not alone.
He knows that we don’t like it, and even that we don’t like Him in those times of testing. Yet, He abides faithful. By God’s grace and power we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37).
How do we respond to the things that hurt and cause us pain? It is when we remain steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Cor: 15:58 KJV). We prevail through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ – in us and with us. This is perfection; Knowing that God has purpose in everything that He allows.
With every loss, we may wonder how we can trust God now, and the answer is: because we have trusted Him before, and He cannot lie!
We are rejoicing, in remembrance of Sis. Ruby Ford, and to all our bereaved families. We extend our sincere condolences in this season, on behalf of the Shiloh Baptist Church Family.