Welcome to this week’s edition of our Five Minute Friday link-up! Whether you have a website or blog, an Instagram profile, or a good old fashioned pen and paper, you’re welcome to set a timer for five minutes and freewrite with us!
I encourage you to join the FMF email list here as well, as we have lots of opportunities for writers that I don’t want you to miss! Plus, you’ll get the weekly writing prompt in your inbox every Friday morning.
Don’t know how to join a link-up? Learn more here.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: TRIAL
I never want them. These trials that the Lord allows into my life. I never welcome them with joy, like James says: “Consider it pure joy . . . whenever you face trials of many kinds . . . .” (James 1:2). No, I complain, worry, feel sorry for myself, get frustrated, and complain some more. There is no joy in the equation.
Yet, when the trial is over, or sometimes even in the middle of it, I realize that it really was good for me. Good for my soul. Because these trials thrust me toward the feet of the cross. They force me to acknowledge my desperate need for the Lord.
As Charles Spurgeon wrote, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me upon the Rock of Ages.”
It’s not easy to do, and certainly not in our own strength. But I truly believe that God uses trials to deepen our relationship with Him and strengthen our faith.
As the rest of the sentence quoted from James above says, “. . . because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:3, NIV)
STOP.Â
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Speaking of trial . . . Have you heard that
Hope*Writers is currently offering a 30-day FREE TRIAL?
Hurry, this offer ends at 11:59pm EST on Friday, January 28th!
Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, TRIAL, below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
Amen!
I just wanted normal life,
years of nice simplicity,
a mansion and a trophy wife,
and maybe a Ferrari.
I guess that God did shake His head,
roll His eyes, and smile,
and then made to send instead
the nice and tasty trial
of cancer, yes, and bankruptcy,
of fear, despair, and pain,
because, All-Seeing, He could see
that my faith would still remain,
and to Him ’twas no surprise,
the wife He sent’s my greatest prize.
Oops…I messed up the ‘website’ bit when entering the above comment.
It’s
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2022/01/snow-dog.html
We were drawn to the same verse in James. Thank-you for your steadfast encouragement of writers!
As difficult as they are, God uses our trials to prepare us for the next great blessing!
I love the quote from Spurgeon! And I’m always striving to take James’ advice! Sometimes it’s easier than others!
“God uses trials to deepen our relationship with Him and strengthen our faith.” Oh, for sure!!!