It’s just been difficult…just really difficult…
Is that you? Over the past several weeks, I’ve noticed more obituaries on social media websites and more and more people thinking and talking about the struggle which was 2023. I know that some years are more difficult than others, but it seems like 2023 was different for some reason.
The Ukraine War continued. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict mushroomed into a full-scale war between Israel and Hamas. And by the way, we have our own issues in the United States.
Society continues to place less confidence in God and His word and more confidence in their own opinions. And where opinions contradict God’s word, those opinions often seem to carry more weight than what God has already told us in His word.
How do you look at God’s word? Do you view God’s word as truthful and helpful, or do you see God’s word as a group of suggestions? This is where you need to understand how amazing God’s word really is. The longer I live, the more I find myself being amazed at how God’s word is absolutely trustworthy.
Honestly, I sometimes believe my opinion is so important. But it really isn’t. If we live our lives believing we have all the answers to life’s mysteries, we will eventually be shocked when we realize we actually know less than we think. There is a fine line between self-assurance and pride.
Pride is an unhealthy view of ourselves, and self-assurance is a healthy view of ourselves. Do you have an unhealthy view of yourself?
If you do, trials will be very difficult for you to overcome. The pain and suffering of debilitating disease and death appear to rear its head in every family. I’m sure you’re not exempt from this. I often say, “If we live long enough, we will eventually experience death.”
So, how should we navigate these difficulties in our lives? What should we do?
Trials are a Very Necessary Part of Life
Look. No matter how distant God seems, You’re not alone on the island experiencing trials on your own. Everyone else struggles through it just like you struggle, and God is there. So, how do we look at your trials and what God says about them? Do you really value God’s opinion when it comes to your trials?
James writes, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2).
Understanding this verse should help us to understand a couple of things. First, trials really are necessary in our lives, and because they are necessary, we should seek to understand their purpose. Look back at verse 2. James uses the word “when,” not “if.” “When” means that trials will definitely come into your life. Even though we follow Jesus, it doesn’t mean that He will protect us from trials. In fact, since we follow Jesus, we should absolutely expect those trials. And on top of that, there will be different kinds of trials in our lives.
Even Jesus struggled throughout His ministry. It is not until you take a closer look at Jesus’ life that you really see His struggles. I realize this might not be encouraging to you. [bctt tweet=”It’s like someone else telling you they’ve struggled with the same things you struggle with and then expecting that to make you feel better about your own struggle.” via=”no”]While it is a kind gesture, it is not always encouraging. When I go through a trial, I tend to look at it as a personal attack rather than an opportunity to grow. This is especially true when the trial is long and painful and seems to wear you down.
I know when I’m in the middle of a trial, it doesn’t matter who else has overcome that same kind of trial. I’m more interested in how I’m going to endure and overcome it. I just want it to go away.
So what do I do? I hide myself in a bucket full of misery until I somehow empty that bucket. While it is true that God sometimes keeps us from certain trials, it is also true that God has a great purpose for these trials. Remember, God sometimes protects us from the trial, and sometimes God helps us through the trial. Which one are you currently facing?
But wait. For us to believe that, we have to embrace a biblical worldview. That means we have to look at God’s word, the Bible, as our supreme source of truth. Otherwise, we must believe that our trials are random, without purpose, and simply cause pain and discouragement. And when we believe that, we risk spiraling into depression.
Trials are meant for God’s Ultimate Good
“Are you serious? Really? So you’re saying what I’m going through is meant for God’s good and not mine?” Not at all. But I am saying that God’s ultimate good should be our ultimate motivation when experiencing trials.
You see, when we see God’s word as our central source of truth, we see things as God sees them. When we do not, we see things selfishly and ask, “How can I make this trial go away.”
I have to be honest. I often find myself praying for God to take away certain trials from my life. However, he doesn’t always choose to do so. You might be asking yourself the question, “If God is loving and good, why doesn’t He just remove the trial? That would really help me to see God as good and powerful. Shouldn’t I pray for God to remove the trial?” I believe we should.
When we take a minute and peek into the garden of Gethsemane scene, we see this. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). I believe we have a great example of praying for a trial to be removed from our lives. Remember when Jesus was in the shadow-filled garden of Gethsemane? He was praying to His Father from the position of one who knew a trial was coming in His life. In fact, Jesus was just hours away from experiencing one of the most intense and horrific trials anyone could face. Betrayal, physical suffering, denial, and death on a cross. What did He do? Jesus didn’t rely on His own strength and understanding but on God’s strength and understanding. He prayed for two things.
First, Jesus prayed for the trial to be removed and for Him to be saved from the trial. Second, Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done through the trial. I think it is easy for us to pray for the trial to be taken away from us. However, how many of us get to the second prayer? How many of us pray for God’s will to be done through the trial? This is hard because trials are difficult.
We pray for healing, help, and hope. While God should always be our source of help and hope, He often fails to heal us immediately. Does this mean that God doesn’t care? No. He cares. But make no mistake about it. The trials we face are meant for God’s ultimate good. The Apostle Paul was clear about this in Romans 8:28 when he wrote, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Did you catch the first phrase? “We KNOW that for THOSE WHO LOVE GOD.” Those are two very specific statements.
First, you can have complete assurance. We KNOW because we LOVE. Here’s how it works.
Because we love God, we can have complete assurance in God’s plans and purposes for our lives. And when we experience trials, it must be because God intended them for some purpose. Our love for God replaces our self-centered worldview with a God-centered worldview.
That means everything we do or experience should be through the lens of God’s perspective, not our perspective. We need to view our trials from God’s perspective. Whatever happens in our lives, God’s purposes always prevail. Why? Because that is the way God works. Check out his verse:
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Proverbs 19:21
To remove a trial is to remove its effect. Do you really want to decrease your faith? Remove the trial, lessen the faith. It is really about our perspective. How do you look at your trials? A “short-term” view of our trials tends to cause us to focus on the pain and immediate needs. Rather, we need to have a “long-term” view of how it can change us to be more like Jesus.
Trials are Present to Perfect Us!
Trials perfect us! Yay! I don’t want to be perfected! Can you sense the sarcasm? But wait. Do I really understand what it means to be perfect in Christ? James helps us to understand the progression of how God uses trials in our lives. He writes, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its perfect result, so that you may be made perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4).
That’s right. Perseverance through trials produces perfection. Basically, James tells us to exercise our faith. I realize that none of us want to talk about exercise of any kind…especially me.
But, when we exercise our faith, we actually become stronger in our faith. Why? Because there is never a time when God is unfaithful. This is the idea of perseverance. When we persevere, our faith is strengthened. Trials produce a persevering faith, and persevering faith produces perfection.
I know. I don’t know about your trial. You’re right. But Jesus does. Does knowing that help you to have some peace in the midst of your trials? You can only have peace in your life when you act on your knowledge that Jesus cares and helps you in your trials.
I want to encourage you to try a couple of things. When you experience trials, remember that God has a purpose for them. Second, look at them as a way to express and grow in your faith. Instead of looking at your trial, look toward Jesus as He will absolutely increase your faith and help you through the difficult trials you will face. When you do, you will come out on the other side stronger in your faith.
I know several things for certain.
You WILL experience trials.
You SHOULD persevere in those trials.
You CAN understand God’s purpose for those trials.
You WILL experience peace through those trials.
Are you ready?