Surely we have events in your life that, to date, don’t make sense. Something that has caused us to ask God, “Why?”, and the answer has yet to come. Maybe we did get an answer and it is something we are unable to accept. Troubles and trials are part of how God molds us to more and more like Christ. As we contemplate the purpose of troubles and trials keep in mind that they are different from the consequences of sin. They may be connected in some way to destructive decisions we have made, but God does not tempt us to sin.
[12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. [13] Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. [14] But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:12-14 ESV)
It is also reassuring to know that is not in God’s character to be tricky or deceitful with his children. So, just how does God use troubles and trials in our lives?
To Get Our Attention
“Many of us keep our eyes on the temporal plane, satisfied with living our lives for the main goal of personal happiness. Others of us live our lives in a such a rush of activity that we leave no time to be reflective. As a consequence, our relationship with God is put on the back burner. Although God is not opposed to personal happiness or even meaningful activities, he defines them differently than we do and at times disrupts our personal happiness and our activities in order to bring us into a deeper encounter with him.” (pg 45-46) Moses reveals this human tendency in a warning to the Israelites.
[10] “And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, [11] and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, [12] then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Deuteronomy 6:10-12 ESV)
Share an experience you have had where God redirected your attention from earthly distractions.
To Detach Our Heart from Temporal Pleasures or Temporal Realities
“We are easily deceived and lulled into a love affair with the world . . . . Sometimes God in his wisdom allows troubles to come our way to snatch us away from the cords of death – death of our soul. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of porridge. Our birthright as Christians is to become like Christ. But many of us sell it for the temporal pleasures of the world. Even legitimate pleasures can tempt us to linger at the table of cheap substitutes instead of hungering after the bread of life. God in his sovereign love may need to interrupt this pattern in order to detach our heart from our temporal loves and bring us into a deeper relationship with him.” (pg 47)
To Shape His Nature in Us
“In Hebrews 5:8 we learn that Jesus learned obedience through the things he suffered. I’ve often wondered: If Jesus was perfect, why did he need to learn obedience?
[7] In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. [8] Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8 ESV)
Perhaps obedience doesn’t come naturally. Although Jesus was sinless, his flesh had to come under the authority and control of God the Father.” (pg 48) In your experience have you learned more in times of suffering, or in times of comfort? Have you learned to suffer well?
To Reflect His Glory
God often allows troubles to give us the opportunity to reflect his glory in the midst of our pain. Not too long ago a particular passage of Scripture caught my attention, and I began meditating on it. It was one of those quick prayers by Jesus, but it had a profound effect on me.
[27] “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. [28] Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:27-28 ESV)
In the past, how often I have prayed, ‘Save me from this trouble!’ instead of asking God to use the situation to bring him glory.” (pg 50)
“Submitting ourselves to God’s will requires a change of heart. It takes trust – trust in a God who is too pure and too holy to allow any evil in our lives unless it can be used for the exceedingly good purpose of making us more like Christ. In his book Trusting God, Jerry Bridges quotes,
‘God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about.'” (pg 51)
Not long ago a reporter was stating that our society has not become as desensitized to tragedy as we might think. The premise was the fact that we have the ability to watch a terrible plane crash in a movie without feeling sick about the pain these deaths caused to the prospective families. But, thirty years after Pan Am Flight 759 crashed in Kenner, with a total of 153 people killed (145 passengers and crew on board and 8 on the ground) we can grieve for those losses all over again. Dr. Vernick used a different illustration in our text, but the idea is that knowing the difference between reality and movie tricks highlights our need for divine perspective. “What would life be like if we could always have God’s perspective?” (pg 52)
“Consider the seemingly impossible advice from James, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3 ESV) . . .
The apostle Paul experienced difficult troubles…
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ESV)
I’ve felt crushed, despairing, abandoned, and destroyed, but Paul didn’t. What was his secret?” (pg 52)
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)
Truth isn’t something you learn, but Someone you know. And the truth will set you free.
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