When it comes to Christianity, it seems that one of the biggest common assumptions is that we will no longer face trials. I don’t think many would admit to believing this, but when you watch the reactions Christians show to adversity, it becomes fairly clear that many of us still believe this somewhere in the back of our minds. The thought lingers there, maybe even subconsciously. But the fact is, it’s simply not true.

Purpose – Trials Will Come

God allows trials to come. There’s no question about that. The truth of the matter is that we don’t always know why trials are allowed to come into our lives. Some believe trials are mostly punishment for sin while others believe trials to be much more random than that. I subscribe to the belief – shared by many other Christians I know – that our trials are meant as lessons. Reading about the trials in the lives of people such as Job and Jesus’ disciples, I think this idea is pretty well supported. I know in my life I’ve faced trials that I was later able to see taught me about patience, trust, and love.

Praise: How to Face or Fail Our Trials

I have a note jotted down in my Bible at the beginning of the book of James. I don’t know anymore who taught the lesson that caused me to jot the note down, but I see it frequently and am grateful for whoever it was. The note in the margins I wrote says that we fail our trials by trusting the world’s solutions over God’s solutions. What this refers to, though, is which of those trusts we act on.

Say, for instance, I’m worried about a test in school. I’ve studied, but I know I don’t know the material well enough to pass, and I’m scared that I may fail the class if I don’t do well enough on the test. I think God’s solution would be to study, pray, and try my best, but the world may say that it’s okay to cheat. Which belief do I place my trust in by acting upon it? Say, for instance, I’ve gotten pregnant when I know I’m not ready to raise a child. The world almost unanimously tells me I have many options: I can keep the child, give it away, or abort it and remove the problem. God, however, clearly disapproves of murder. Whose solution do I trust? Say, for instance, I’m getting pulled over for a problem with the inspection sticker on my car. Understanding the importance God places on truth, I know I would be going against Him to tell the officer I was unaware of the problem to try and avoid a ticket, but will I trust the world’s solution over His?

Our trials can also be more than tests that span a single moment of decision. Sometimes our trials are on-going, day-to-day things that seem never-ending. The challenge then is simply choosing: do we face another day by complaining about the difficulties or by praising God for who He is? A friend of mine posted a link to an article about this very issue recently. It reminds us that when facing trials, God doesn’t ask us to be perfect; He asks us to praise. Do I believe that God is big enough? Do I show it by praising him, or do I show that my true faith is placed in myself by becoming discouraged?

Prepare

I don’t think that we should dwell on the probability of trials to come, living each day with a question in the back of our minds: What’s going to happen next? But I do think that we should prepare ourselves for the trials that will eventually come by simply being aware . I think we should practice praising God in the good times, and thanking Him for those times, while being aware that one day we will be praising him in the bad times, thanking him for still being who He is. I think we should also put on the whole armor of God, as it says in Ephesians chapter six, so that we face every day, trial or no, with His mighty power.

What Are You Facing?

I’m going through some trials at the moment. Some are private, but I can share one of the bigger ones. My husband is gone a lot! Most of last month, half of this month, all of at least one month this summer, and after that? Well, after that, he’ll either deploy or go off for training for a very long time. Facing this now, and anticipating the future, gets me down sometimes!

What are you facing in your life? I’d give you what encouragement I can, and I’d offer my prayers, if you want to share. If not, do you have any other thoughts about how to face our trials, or any comments on what I’ve already said?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”
- James 1:2-4, 12

(As a side note, I’ve been putting off this post for a long time, fearing my words wouldn’t do the subject justice. I’m glad to finally have written it, though.)