He has not made us for nought; He has brought us thus far, in order to bring us further, in order to bring us on to the end. He will never leave us nor forsake us; so that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." We "may cast all our care upon Him who careth for us." What is it to us how our future path lies, if it be but His path? What is it to us whither it leads us, so that in the end it leads to Him? What is it to us what He puts upon us, so that He enables us to undergo it with a pure conscience, a true heart, not desiring anything of this world in comparison of Him? What is it to us what terror befalls us, if He be but a hand to protect and strengthen us? ~ John Henry Newman

Trials come. We all fall on hard times. We struggle and we want to give up. We want to get away from our problems. This is a common experience in the Christian’s journey.

But there is a unique facet of this that I have just discovered as it relates to two people in a courtship. You could just give up. You could walk away. You could end it.

When trials come, they test that temptation. Will you trust in God to see you through or will you give up? Will you turn your back on another or will you show love? Will you serve yourself or will you serve God?

We know that in every other trial we face, God is there to work good out of evil, to use suffering so that it benefits us, and to sanctify us the whole way. And it works the same in a courtship.

Therefore, we can have hope. We trust in God that a disagreement is not the end of things, but the beginning of a new work that He is doing. We have faith in God that He will see us through. We hope in Him as He works in us. And it’s all for the glory of God and the good of those He loves. How encouraging!