For some reason, when we hear the word stewardship, we automatically think of giving money to the church. But stewardship is a much bigger concept. Of course we are to manage wisely all the resources God gives us. If God gave you a million dollars, your life would suddenly get very complicated. You now have to figure out how to invest, save, give, and spend quite a load of money. It is possible to misuse the money, squander it, and lose it all. Or it is possible to manage it well, in a manner that is pleasing to Him. And if He has only given you a hundred dollars, you must figure out how to be the kind of wise steward who can make it to the end of the month. Both require wisdom and grace.
When God blesses us with healthy years and happy times, we are to be good stewards of the days. The easy days are sometimes easy to squander because we can start to coast. But God wants us to keep good accounts and make wise investments of our time and resources. The easy days may give way to hard times. And we are also to be wise stewards when it comes to the afflictions and troubles that God gives us. We believe that all things come from His hand. Therefore, whatever the trouble, we can believe that it comes from the hand of a very wise and loving Father. Knowing this helps us to believe that this trial is perfect for us. And it also helps us to exercise wise stewardship over the trouble. How do we do that?
We thank Him for the trouble. We consider if His Word has any direct teaching on how to respond to our particular trouble. We submit ourselves to Him and walk through the trial by faith, believing it will bear good fruit and bring good to our souls. We refrain from complaining. We cast our cares on Him. We seek to honor and glorify Him in the trial. All this is good stewardship and will bring a good return. So when you are given a trial, be a good steward of the trouble, and turn a profit on it.
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Thank you for the post – what a blessed encouragement.
Nancy, thank you for this encouragement! I’m going to read your words to the kids this morning. You’ve put it so beautifully.
We’ve been talking about this for some time with our children. Spurgeon’s daily devotions spur lots of little conversations about trials and gratitude that have seemed to make an impact.
We’ve noticed our Sophia has added something to her daily prayers over the past few weeks. She has started thanking God, “for giving us hard times and trouble as we get older.” 🙂
My husband and I have experienced a time of prosperity and now are experiencing a time of testing and trials. Something new I know. 🙂 This was a good reminder and encouragment for me. Thought I would add two thoughts that have also been wonderful helps to meditate upon in these days. They both come from messages preached right before we entered into this particular trial. 1. From Matt. 8: 23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The storm was a fearfully intense dangerous tempest. However Christ did not first deal with the storm. He dealt with the disciples’ lack of faith. The danger for the Christian is never in his circumstances. It is always in his response to them. We must have a response of confident trust in our good Savior. 2. The other is from the life of Elijah in I Kings 17. God sent him to the brook Cherith during the drought. Elijah went, only to find that this particular brook was drying up like all the other brooks. So Elijah had to sit by a drying up brook and watch it slowly dry up. It wasn’t until it was all dry that God told him the next step in the plan.
Thanks again.
Great and timely words, thank you!
I’m posting this on FB. So many friends are going through the wringer this winter, and I need the reminder because I can’t believe how easy it is to start to coast when things are good. Thanks!