"Sunshine" theology such as the health and wealth Gospel, effortless Christianity etc is increasingly gaining in popularity. While I personally believe in the miracle power of God, the favor of God, healing, excelling in the marketplace, I feel that such one sided thinking could be a stumbling block for many Christians as they mature in the Lord.
As you walk longer in the Lord, gone are the days when we get an instant response from God every time we prayed. The silent periods gets longer, our hearts get vexed, our faith is stretched to breaking point. Conflicts and trials start to increase in intensity and frequency. We seem to be putting out one fire after another... A loved one in the family dies, we get sick, businesses flop, there is a divorce( 50% of Christian marriages fail in many parts of the world).
The Old Testament describes the tabernacle in 3 parts.
1) The outer courts
2) The Holy Place
3) The Holy of Holies.
This can be used as an analogy to describe our walk with God in the New Testament. If we want to move from the outer courts and get closer with God. We will go through "refining" by God.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:6, 7 NKJV)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19 NKJV)
As we get closer to God, the trials get more intense and last longer. But rest assured, God delivers us out of them all!
