A Call to Suffering

            Trials are normal. Everybody everywhere suffers in one way or another. Some people have great physical suffering, while others may have great emotional suffering. Either way, suffering or trials are normal, especially for Christians. Throughout this article, we’re going to look at a few different passages of scripture, but first I want you to open your Bible to Matthew 10:16-26. Let me just summarize these verses in one short quotation, “If you follow me, men will hate you. They will bring you before others and criticize you publicly, but do not fear, because in that hour, the LORD will give you the words to say. You will be hated by everyone just because you are my child.” This is basically saying that everyone will have trials on this earth, but Christians will have the most. Yeah, that looks nice on our business card: Come to Jesus! Side effects include: rejection, lack of friendship, and the reception of immense hatred. Okay, so trials are normal, but why do we have trials? Do they always have to bring pain and despair?

            
            Now, flip over 19 books of the Bible until you get to the book of James. James 1 is well known as being a passage about trials. Read all of James 1 right now. So, this contains the answer to the two questions that I just asked in the previous paragraph. James 1:2-8 covers how people can profit from trials. James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials…” Did you catch that word “joy”? The definition of joy is, “feelings of great happiness or pleasure.” I know that my first thought when presented with a trial is NOT joy. However, written in black and white (literally), is that we should count it all JOY! It’s joy! You don’t have to look forward to trials, but you do have to count it all joy! Trials are defined as the testing of your faith. James 1:3 says that the testing of your faith produces patience or some translations may say “endurance”. James is trying to say that trials can be productive and beneficial, if you allow the Holy Spirit to change you through them.

            
           James 1:19 is another verse that I want to look at very quickly, and it says, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath…” These verses were some that I heard a lot as I grew up, and I still hear a lot (many times they’re directed at me). Then, I noticed that the subtitle or passage heading above that verse reads “Qualities Needed in Trials”. This fits perfectly into James 1, because if you are not quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, your trials will become ten times greater. In the time of trials, you need to be quick to accept the advice of others (provided it is good advice). These verses are very good to know in just everyday life as well.

         The next and last passage that we’re going to look at is 1 Peter 1:6-7 which says, “^6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ^7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” These two verses tell of another benefit of trials, and this is that trials test the genuineness of your faith. The trials of your life either (this may sound cliché) make or break you. This means that trials always have an effect on you. They are either strengthening you or else weakening you. Your trials will shape who you are, so this is my one question for you: are your trials going to make or break you?