When I was a boy, my mother arranged for me to take violin lessons.

Each year my teacher would schedule concerts for his students. He saw it as an opportunity to encourage and challenge them to do their best.

On one occasion my teacher said, “Please hand me your violin. I want to teach you how to make it beautiful.” I watched as he brought a shine to the fine wood. Then he said, “If you leave it overnight, I will put new strings on it so it will sound as beautiful as it looks. You will be proud to play before the crowd.”

The next day I went to his studio, picked up the violin and began to play it. What a difference the new strings made. Over time, the old strings had lost their strength and could not bring to life the music that was in the instrument.

Years later while going through a difficult time in my life, my mother said to me, “Do you remember the time when your violin teacher tested the strings and decided that they needed to be replaced? This difficult time is the Lord testing you so that you will become a more beautiful and useful Christian.”

Peter said that we will have to suffer all kinds of trials if our faith is to become genuine and result in our praising and honoring God.

Prayer: We thank You, Father, that You love us enough to test us to bring out the best in us. Increase our trust in You, knowing that someday we will become complete in You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Read Ephesians 2:10 TLB

Years ago a company in Wilmington, Delaware made an expensive machine for a plantation in South America. It was shipped to the buyer and Mr. Satterthwaite was sent to put in together.

When the man and the machine arrived the purchasers were upset. They called saying, “You sent just a boy to set the machine up!”

“But that ‘boy’,” they said, “is the man who built it. He operates it here, and he can operate it there.”

The God who made you, knows you. Since He overcame Satan in His life, He can overcome him in your life – if you’ll turn it over to Him.

The Living Bible says, “It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Jesus Christ.”

Trust Him, won’t you?

Prayer: Deliver us, Father, from Satan and sin. Give us an earnest desire to follow Thee closely and to discharge faithfully the duties Thou hast given us to do: in the name of Jesus. Amen.