James makes the following statement in James 1:2: Consider it complete joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various kinds of trials. I don’t know about you, but I do not find trials particularly pleasurable. We usually find trials quite challenging both physically and emotionally. But trials are particularly helpful in developing our spiritual life. James goes on in verses 3 and 4 to explain the benefits of trials: because you know that the testing of your faith produces patient endurance. And let patient endurance finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James is telling us that if we want to be spiritually mature then we have to go through many trials which will strengthen our faith.
So how do we know that we are in a trial presented by GOD for we can face trials that we cause due to disobedience on our part. These types of negative trials are destructive to our spirit and will cause us to lose joy because they are the result of disobedience. The kind of trial that GOD will allow in our life is totally different for it will not sap us of our joy even if the trial is hard. I think of Paul and Silas in jail in Philippi. They were singing praises to GOD even though the prison conditions were not pleasant. The trials that they went through prepared them for this event so they could retain their joy under adverse circumstances.
So if you are walking in obedience and you find the path forward challenging then you are facing a trail that is intended to build your faith. Peter talks about the building of our faith in 1 Peter 1:6, 7: Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. The purpose of the trial is to test the quality of our faith. If we give up quickly then we know our faith is very weak but if we persevere through the trial, then our faith is shown to be strong and will be made stronger by completing the trial. If you fail the trial, don’t worry for GOD will bring that trial around again until you faithfully complete the test.
Another aspect of trials is that we should expect them as stated in 1 peter 4:12, 13: Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. We read of the many trials that the people in the Bible went through on their spiritual journey so should we be any different form them. No, we are not so we should expect trials until that great day when Christ is revealed, and we will be found to be like Jesus.
A final aspect of trials that we should consider is that the trials are meant to prepare us for the kingdom to come, Acts 14:21, 22: After they preached the good news in that city and had gathered many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. They told them, we must go through many troubles[trials] on our way to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of GOD will be populated by people who have put their full faith in GOD and that faith is built by finding victory through Christ in the midst of our trials. The trials will mold and shape us into the same character of Jesus so we will fit in perfectly with life in the kingdom thus forsaking our character produced by the world. There will be no sin or selfishness in the kingdom of GOD, so we need to leave sin and selfishness behind as the trials will teach us to do.
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