FAITH: Don’t Waste Your Trials!

In John 16:33 Jesus warned, “In this world you will have tribulation.” Job said, “As the sparks fly upward so man is born to trouble.” (Job 5:7) The trials and difficulties of life are very important. This is one of the main differences between true Christianity and false Christianity. Many false teachers promise that God is going to free your life of trouble and difficulty. They claim that God will make every person healthy and wealthy. The Bible never makes such a claim. Jesus promised that His followers would experience tough times.

The word tribulation means pressure. It was used of a large piece of wood that was dragged across wheat to separate the husks and the chaff from the grain. It was used of crushing grapes to press out the wine. It was used of crushing olives to extract their oil. Life is filled with pressure.

The good news is that once a person comes to saving faith in Jesus Christ, even the troubles of life have meaning. In Romans 5:3-4 it says, “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces proven character and proven character produces hope.”

There are many wrong ways to respond to difficulty and pressure. Some respond with denial. They try to ignore the presence of trials. Others respond with complaining. Another wrong response is anger and bitterness. Some respond with hedonism. It’s the attitude of, “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.”

In difficult circumstances, it is easy for our emotions to overpower our knowledge. Fear and worry flow in like a mighty river. Romans 5:3 says that we must respond with knowledge and not emotion. We “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance…” The key word is knowledge. We must go back to the Word of God. If we respond biblically to our trials, three amazing benefits will flow into our lives.

The first great benefit is perseverance. The Greek word for perseverance is ‘hupomone.’ It is composed of two parts. Hupo means ’under.’ ‘Mone’ means ‘to stay’ or ‘remain.’ Difficult circumstances produce toughness. In the Olympic games, massive men grab weights and snatch them over their heads. They remain under the tremendous weight while the bar bends above them.

We build endurance by remaining under the trial. Tribulation produces the ability to stay under the load and persevere. Your faith grows stronger as it remains under the great pressure. Andrew Jackson, the former president, paid off America’s debt. Andrew Jackson experienced many difficult circumstances. He defeated the British at New Orleans in 1812. He was known as “Old Hickory.” Trials produce strength if we respond to them properly.

The second great benefit of trials is proven character. This has the idea of being tested. Under trials a person gains the quality of being approved. It’s the idea of being a seasoned veteran.

Many people move to Alaska. The rigors of winter and darkness weed out many. A cheechako has never been tested. After surviving several Alaskan winters a person gains the exalted status of sourdough. A sourdough is not a person who is sour on Alaska but doesn’t have enough money to leave! No. A sourdough is strong. Trials produce perseverance. Trials produce proven character.

The third great benefit of trials is hope. Romans 5:4-5 says, “…and character produces hope, and hope does not put to shame…” Your faith is proven to be the real thing through pressure. Too many people claim to love Jesus, but when the difficulties of life come they fall away. Jesus in Matthew 13:21 described a person who is not saved. “…and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, immediately he falls away.” No. True faith is supernatural and endures.

We cannot afford to waste our trials. The key to overcoming trials is right thinking. God is using the difficulties in your life to produce spiritual maturity. He’s also proving that you truly belong to Him! God is wise. God is in control. You can trust Him! He knows what He’s about!

Pastor Ethan Hansen

Faith Bible Fellowship

Big Lake, AK