Troubles and trials are expected in life, but many people try to structure their lives to avoiding them. One truth of life is that they are coming and sometimes they come like the waves of the ocean, one after another. The important part about trials and troubles simply lies in our response to them. Our response will reveal where our strength lies, and not just how strong it is.
While attending Liberty, I heard the late Dr. Jerry Falwell say that Trials and troubles will either make you better or bitter. If our resolve is to stand firm in the word of God then we can face them with the joy and confidence.
It’s never easy to find joy in hard things, but many times it’s the idea of completion of hard things that allows our mind to keep focus then in turn allow our body to push through challenge. In James 1:4 we learn that our faith will be perfect and complete lacking nothing, which is the opposite of trouble, because when we’re in trouble it’s always because we were lacking something. Even in the set back, we still can learn the lesson of what we can do to be conquerers.
In the circumstance of us experiencing trials one thing that will gives us the strength and patience to endure to the end is knowing that God will not let us be tempted beyond our ability. Jerry put it like this, God will never put more on you than what He put in you. We all know the word “temptation” means to trap someone or fail, but in that greek it also means to reveal the source of strength underneath.
God allows temptation in life, that nothing new. The story Job is clear proof of that. Job response and resolve was to show his strength being in the Lord.
Hard things never get easy, but one thing they will alway do is give the sweet experience and truth of God. The question that remains is, are we willing to endure? Move forward in trials seeking to be better and not bitter.