Pastor's Thoughts
Winston Churchill stated, "Faith can turn trials unto triumphs and gloom into gladness." Haven't you found that to be true regardless of the outcome of the situation? It is true even in the midst of the trail or gloom. Faith makes a difference in us even it if does not change our circumstances.
In the first seven chapters of Paul's Holy Spirit inspired letter to the Romans he describes the wonderful grace of God. He shows the world that God's grace provides those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, with deliverance from sin, death, and condemnation. Having masterfully walked his readers, both Jews and Gentiles though the redemptive process found in Christ, he describes the two paths a believer can choose after experiencing this great salvation. One path follows the flesh and leads back into bondage, the other follows the Spirit and offers tremendous blessing. In the eighth chapter he writes concerning the wonderful benefits of choosing the Spirit directed life.
Rom 8:13-15 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:26-28 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A believer's faith thereby, unlocks the confidence needed to abandon our own weakness and embrace the Holy Spirit's strength and thus experience peace and security in Him regardless of what they encounter. This confidence is what changes the trial to a triumph and every gloomy situation into that which beings gladness to a believer's heart. God cannot and will not fail me!