I am not fluent in many languages. Some many even argue I’m not too fluent in English!

But, there’s always been a statement about something in Chinese language that has intrigued me.

In the Chinese language, they don’t have “letters” like we do, but instead they have characters with represent words and concepts.

In that, I’ve always heard that the Chinese word for “crisis” is the same word as “opportunity.”  That’s not exactly true, there are two characters that make up the word crisis, one character is danger, and the other is opportunity.

But, we se in that language, the word crisis is related to the word opportunity.

What does that have to do with anything?

Listen to the words of Psalm 119:

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, *
that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is dearer to me *
than thousands in gold and silver.

Have you thought that about your affliction?  Have you allowed your trials, troubles, and afflictions to draw you closer to God?

Every moment we are alive, every moment we breathe, each of these events, they are chances to for us to grow closer to God.

Are you using the trials of life to draw you closer to God?  Are the moments of hurt, are they driving you to prayer? To read the Word?  To be in communion with God?

Trials and troubles, they will push us to God or away from God.  What is happening in your life?

Are you allowing your troubles to drive you closer to God? For only in Him will we find peace and comfort and hope in the midst of trials.

Every trial is an opportunity to grow closer to God.  They aren’t fun, they aren’t easy, and they aren’t something that we to go through.

But, they can draw us closer to God.

Are we allowing that happen?

In our walk with God, let’s not waste a moment.  Even these moments of trials and troubles, they can draw us closer to God.

Let’s not waste a single moment.