My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receieve anything from the Lord; he is a double minde man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1: 2-8 NKJV
I've heard this verse in James mentioned countless times to guide and encourage us as we go through trials of life. If there's one thing the scriptures are clear about, is that WE WILL face trials in this life. These trials can be common troubles faced by everyone, or unique to one individual. Whatever they are, they can shake our lives when they come. Don't be misled by seeing the lives of others who outwardly seem to be doing well, many people hide the troubles they are going through and put on mask that everything is fine. I know I did many times. Alot has been said and written as to why God allows his children to go through such difficult times. That answer is provided for us already.
Therefore, having been justifed by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have acces by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance character, and character hope. Now hope does not disapoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the holy spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5: 2-5 NKJV
For those of us not used to the parlance of that day, "Tribulation" means trials. We now have two places in scripture that tell us to rejoice in the trials that God has told us would come. Trust me, there's more. We get a glimpse of why God allows trials in the lives of believers in both Romans and James, but allow me to introduce you to a man of faith named Job.
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was JOb; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
Job 1:1 NKJV
So, this man Job, seemes as if he is a man of God and faith whom God would favor right? Well, along came Satan the accuser to bring tribulation onto Jobs life, and God allowed it. We've all heard of the trials of Job and all that he lost, literally everything he had. In the midst of all of this chaos we see Jobs perfect response to the trials he's in.
Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 2:9 NKJV
How many of us can even come close to making this claim? As the trials of life swirl around us, we stop and say to ourselves "Shall we accept good from God and not adversity?" When I've gone through these times, at times my first inclanation is to get angry and question Gods motives. Lord, I'm a christian, why are you allowing this? Contrary to popular belief, we christians are not immune from adversity. How should we handle ourselves when these times come? Well, we'd do well to recognize that God has a purpose for allowing these times in our lives. More often than not, he may be using these times to grow us. Yeah, that sounds like cheap advice to someone who's gooing through a rough time, but it's true. That is why our own testimonies are so incredibly valuable, because we can use those times when we've been hurting to help others who are going through their own adversity. Somehow, I feel that's how God set things up anyway.
~Scott~
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