James 1:2, 3- “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” 

Almost everyone may have to face some kind of  trials in life. The usual reaction is fear, frustration, loss of faith, lack of confidence , and loss of hope.  But the word of God says that when you face trials, try to feel joy inside of you because it is only a testing of your faith and that after that testing period is finished, you will become a strong person with endurance, that is, you will be strong enough to face anything in your life. When you gain perfection in this, you will be empowered  to help others who face trials.  For example, a person recovered from alcoholic addiction becomes a counselor for alcoholics.  A person who had faced trials in married life becomes a counselor for married couples.  A person who found God through trials will try to promote that God to others.  I am a person like that.

To win the trials in our life, we need faith in God. If we don’t have strong faith, it will affect  our life negatively.  If God is with us, He will give us the courage and confidence to take the right decision and move on with our life.  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  According to Genesis chapter 12, when God called Abraham for the first time and told him to leave the land where his forefathers lived for a long time, he took it as a challenge.  By facing that trial, he gained endurance. Waiting for the promised son for about twenty five years was a big trial for Abraham, and he gained endurance through that.  When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he faced the biggest trial for any human being, but he faced it with courage as he had gained endurance in many ways.  His endurance and faith in God led him to perfection(Genesis chapter 22).  When Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit and then sold him to Egyptian merchants, he went through terrible trials.  With the help of God he faced all that courageously and gained endurance(Genesis chapter 37).  When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and put in prison for no mistake of his own, his endurance and faith in God led him to perfection(Genesis chapter 39).  “But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer” (Genesis 39:21).  When David really got tired of Saul, he almost decided to run away to Philistine, but he did not (1st Samuel 27:).  By facing the trials with faith in God, he gained endurance and perfection.  He ruled as a king for forty years.

How do you gain endurance and perfection?

1)Constant prayer - “Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

2)Trust in the Lord – “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you.  He will never allow the righteous to be shaken”(Psalm 55:22).  “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28).   

3)God loves and helps the righteous – “The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of all”

(Psalms 34: 17-19).  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”(Romans 8:28).

4)Ask for wisdom and understand the purpose of God in trials -In James chapter 1, James tells us that not only does God have purpose in trials but also that God gives wisdom in trials. James recognizes that we may not always be able to see the purpose in trials or see the good that can come from trials.  When we find ourselves unable to see the good and the purpose in trials, we are to keep on asking God for wisdom in faith, without doubting. And our God who loves to give will respond so that we can see the good and the purpose in trials. If so, be grateful and praise God.

5)Through trials God molds us into his image -Also know that trials will one day enter your life and are the very means God uses to mold us into His image. Whether you are facing trials now  or preparing for the trials that will eventually come — rejoice, knowing that through every hard suffering in life, we share with Christ.

When hard trials came to me, I did not ask God for wisdom because I did not know what to ask for.  But I asked God for total help, and He responded right away.  I started loving Him more than anyone in the world.   He started molding me, and I cooperated very well.  Now I look at suffering as sharing with Jesus Christ, and it gives joy and peace. Now I look at sufferings as a means to come closer to God, and I am happy about it.  I gained endurance and perfection through trials that I am using it for the benefit of others.  You may be someone already facing trials.  God has the nature of keeping quiet during your trials as a means of testing your faith. “Be still and confess that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

6)God will not tempt you beyond your capacity -  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it”( 1st Corinthians 10:13).

Rewards for facing trials

1)It will be an honor in heaven -  “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by  various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ….”(1st Peter 1:6, 7).
 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets”

(Luke 6:22, 23).  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12).   

2)You will gain endurance, character and hope – “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”(Romans 5:3-5).

Why do trials come in our life?

To know God, to humble ourselves, and to depend fully on God

When everything goes perfect, we have the tendency to forget God and depend on our strength.  If trials come to your life one after another, look back at yourself.  Ask yourself if there is anything you have to change or any wrong doings you have to stop.  If you are not sure, ask God honestly for help to figure out what is going wrong in your life.  Definitely God will help you to fix your problems.  Once your problems are fixed, remain honestly with God for the rest of your life.  God will encircle you with His love.

 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him”( Jacob 1:12).

Cicily Sunny, MA, B.Ed., MSE