Skip to content ↓

Day Twenty Five – Transformed By Trouble

Articles Collection cover image

Because today is a very busy Sunday, this is an abbreviated look at day twenty five of The Purpose Driven Life

God has a purpose behind every trouble. God uses circumstances to develop my character. God will often use tough times in life to test me and mold me into Christ’s likeness. Through the hard times I need to remember that God is in control and that He has promised to work all things for good. This means that despite adversity I need to have faith that God is in control and that He will bring some good out of what may seem like an impossible situation.

Bible Passages

Warren quotes the Bible thirty one times using seven translations and paraphrases. The only quote that stood out as problematic was his use of Jeremiah 29:11 which he applies to all Christians even though the promise was given under specific circumstances. I have previous covered this in more detail.

Point to Ponder

Today’s point to ponder is “there is a purpose behind every problem.” In a sense I always feel guilty when talking about adversity. My life thus far has been ridiculously free from real trouble. Yes I have had some periods in my life that were tough, but when I compare it to what other people have gone through, either people in the Bible or people I know, it seems that I have never had to bear a heavy weight. I have lived a sheltered life and really don’t feel that I have much to comment on when it comes to adversity. I sometimes think fatalistically and make myself believe that some horrible calamity will have to befall me sooner or later and it is during that time that I will see what my faith is really made of. If it does happen I know that God will be there for me and certainly hope and pray that I will be able to stand strong in and through Him.

Up Next

Tomorrow’s topic is Growing Through Temptation


  • Cultivating Faith in God’s Garden

    God wants us to experience the teeming abundance of a life devoted to generative gospel community, even if the spiritual greenhouse is flawed and imperfect. #Sponsored

  • Pronouns

    Should We Capitalize Divine Pronouns?

    There are certain emails I receive on a routine basis and an especially common one relates to pronouns. Thankfully it’s not asking me to define my own pronouns as is all the rage today, but rather asking me whether Christians ought to capitalize God’s pronouns. By way of explanation, when some Christians use a pronoun…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 7)

    A La Carte: On Netflix and Narnia / The wonder of an eclipse / Answering kids’ hardest questions / Not-so-great expectations / It’s not wrong to want to be perfect / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Breath

    A Sudden Stopping of the Breath

    I recently encountered a poem I enjoyed and wanted to share with you. LeRoy Tate Newland was an American pastor, a missionary to Korea, and a poet. Among his poems is this brief reflection on the death of a Christian (which, appropriately, is titled “A Christian’s Death”). I hope you enjoy it as much as…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (April 5)

    A La Carte: The Lioness, the Witch and the Wardrobe / Are people basically good? / Who gets to define a healthy baby? / Go, gently / Films that defined Christian politics / Rethinking our mission field / and more.