Marriner Moments: Rejoicing Anyhow – Part II

By Pastor Melvin O. Marriner

Grove Church

PORTSMOUTH

Nobody likes trials and challenges, but if you ask most Christians who have come through or overcome them, they will tell you that on the other side of their hurt, pain and devastation, they are stronger, better and more faithful to God. Further, after going through some of life’s storms, we come to understand and appreciate that God can and will be with us. He WILL carry us through. As we begin to lean on and trust God, we develop a stronger, more deeply rooted foundation that prepares us for other trials.  

When we are going through or in the midst of trials, it may be difficult to ‘rejoice anyhow.” Thankfully, Hebrews 12:11 helps us by plainly stating, “No discipline for the present is pleasant. But afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  In the middle of our hurt, disappointment, or anguish, we may not feel like rejoicing, and that’s okay. At some point, however, we have to pray and push – or even FIGHT our way through and rejoice despite how we feel. This is how we activate our faith! When we choose to rejoice in our belief that God is going to work things out – no matter what we see in front of us, we are then showing God that our faith in Him is stronger than what we are going through!

Since September, I have been teaching a bible study series called “Is Faith Enough?” One of the overarching goals of this series is to help individuals – while stretching and shaking their foundation – with the goal of growing their faith.  We are exploring what faith is and is not, how to increase and sustain faith, in the midst of trials. There are countless numbers of faithful individuals who – in spite of their circumstances – rejoice anyhow! Some are going through chemotherapy, others have lost loved ones, and they may be unemployed, homeless or divorced. Of these countless individuals, many of them have learned to rejoice anyhow. We marvel at this, but those of us who have ‘been through’ understand.  We have relied on our faith and our relationship with God to get us navigate through difficult and challenging times and situations. We are learning to rejoice anyhow!

Peace and power.

© Dr. Melvin O. Marriner, November 2015 

We invite you to join us at Grove Church, 5910 West Norfolk Road, Portsmouth, Virginia, Sundays at 8am and 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays at noon and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.