Trials

Some of us thought when we became Christians, “Wow.  Now that I accepted Christ, my life will be perfect.”  Sadly, that’s not so.  We are all tested in our Christian walks. So, why do Christians have trials in our lives?

The first thing that comes to my mind is if Christians had perfect and peaceful lives, everyone would want to become a Christian without the commitment.  This would leave out the sin issue.  It would be a purely personal and selfish act. That’s not the sort of thing God is looking for.

Another reason might be because Jesus said the rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:44-45)

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  He shows no partiality.  The few decades we spend here on earth mean so little compared with eternity with Christ.  And, God has things for us to learn while here through trials.

James chapter one is pretty much about trials, and it tells us to “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”  The Greek there tells us to embrace our trials as friends.  Why would that be?  James answers that for us: “For the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete.” (James 1:2-4)

A friend told me years God is like an old piano teacher.  He will give you the same test over and over again until you’ve learned your part and then move on.  Sound familiar? So, we need to try and learn from our trials so we don’t repeat them.

Sorry. No time off for good behavior.  We will all face trials.

There is still another reason for trials.  Look at Deut. 4:34

Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

How would a god draw a nation to Him through the use of trials?  Well, we tend to turn to God when we’ve reached our lowest point.  So, trials in our lives cause us to draw nearer to God.  He likes us, you know.  He wants our attention and will get it in whatever way necessary.

There’s a story of John Wesley, the famous founder of the Methodist Church and circuit rider/preacher.  John didn’t feel he’d had any trials in a few days and thought maybe God had left him.  So, he got off his horse, knelt down next to a wall in a town.  The guy on the other side of the wall was cleaning up his yard and threw a brick over the wall hitting John.  Wesley smiled, returned to his horse, and continued on his way thanking God.

Why is this important?

The Christian should expect trials.  Jesus Himself told us we would face trials

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Trials are not a problem but a blessing.  God uses them in the life of the Christian to mold him into a better ambassador for Christ.  The things we go through that test us are things we can use later on to help those who will go through the same things.

So, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.  It’s God speaking to you making a new you out of the old one.