The Value of Trials
You know that life doesn’t always go your way. Being a Christian doesn’t make us problem free. When things go bad, don’t get all bummed out. Get up, dust yourself off, reload, recalibrate and reengage. Trials are certain so come with an attitude that God is working in your life.
James 1: 2-3 - My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.
James was a leader in the church in Jerusalem and was Jesus’ half-brother. The book of James was one of the earliest letters, written before A.D. 50. Persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem forced them to be scattered throughout the Roman Empire. James wrote to them as a concerned leader to encourage them in their faith during those difficult times.
James doesn’t say “if” trouble comes your way but “when” it does. It is possible to profit from trouble and turn our hardships into learning experiences. Tough times can teach us perseverance. We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete, not keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth.
The testing of your faith produces endurance. In biblical times, a potter would put a piece into the firing oven to strengthen it. If the piece survived the high heat, the potter would write the word “dokimos” on the bottom of the piece meaning “tested and approved.”
What a great picture of God’s work in our lives! He is the potter forming us into the image of His Son. Occasionally, God puts us into the firing oven…not to break us but to strengthen us. God allows us to experience trials so that we grow in our faith.
Though we may know intellectually that God has a purpose for whatever trial we are going through, we can’t help but ask, “Why is this happening to me right now?” Here are three questions you can ask in the midst of a trial:
- Am I responsible in any way for this trial? Praying, Lord, is this happening to me because of something in my life where there’s a lesson to be learned? Asking for God’s grace and forgiveness as well as for wisdom and guidance will help us through.
- Is there anyone I can talk with who has experienced a similar problem? One reason we gather together in church is to strengthen and encourage one another. In fact, God may allow certain problems in our lives so that we can help other people in the future.
In 2 Corinthians 1: 4, Paul wrote, “He (God) helps us in all our troubles so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.”
You may be going through a particular trial right now so that you can strengthen others who face a similar situation.
- Is there any benefit that might come from this trial? We can claim the promise of Romans 8:28. “We know that in all things, God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His promises.”
Whatever trial you’re facing right now, remember this above all - God is not a distant deity who has no idea what you’re going through. There is a purpose for everything and God knows that the purpose of whatever is happening to you is for your own good.