Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12,13

The Word of God tells us we are to expect trials in our lives. We should not be surprised at their coming and know that God is still here and has not forsaken us. However, what does seem to surprise us is that we are to rejoice! How can we rejoice in some fiery trial we say? It’s not the fiery trial itself we rejoice in. It’s what the trial itself will accomplice in us.

There is a story I was told years ago about a man who carved and whittled for a living. One day he was carving a small piece of wood when, all of a sudden, the wood started complaining. “You are destroying me with your knife!” The man never said a word and just kept carving away even with that little piece of wood screaming at him. At last he had finished, and put the piece of wood to his mouth and began to play. He had carved a beautiful melodious flute to make music for all to hear! Ahh, how good that felt to that little piece of wood, who then realized how special he had now become!

So the next time we hear music we can remember that little flute. We can thank our Heavenly Father for the trials we have gone through and will go through which will bring beautiful music to our lives!

Through the trials in our lives, God is carving us to make us a blessing. Trials are never fun I know, but how beautiful the outcome. (And I know that God has given us each other to remind us that in His hands we can become instruments for His purpose!).