Hebrews 1-3

We all face an enemy that knows us well. An enemy that lurks at the very center of our being. That enemy is not some disobedient angel; even though "that" enemy wants us to believe he knows us that well. The Hebrew writer identifies the enemy in chapter 3:12 - our unbelieving heart. There is a part of us that continually rebels against God's commands. It hides our passions from us until circumstances drive them to the surface. When that happens we may be shocked at our reaction in the flesh, but God is not. Because that is precisely why God allowed that event to transpire. How else could he expose that hidden lust? What other means can he use to make the unclean aspects of our lives visible? Maybe it was this truth that James had in mind when he wrote; "Consider it all joy when you face trials of many kind." (Jas 1:2). So we should not take unexpected failures as losses but as opportunities for God to reveal and remove that which keeps us away from him.
Stuart