Trials!

Consider it a sheer gift, friends when tests and challenges (trials) come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed. not deficient in any way. James 1:2-3 The Message

One of my favorite movies is Forrest Gump. If you have watched it as many times as we have, you know that Forrest had some pretty severe trials in his life. Despite the trials, Forrest always seemed to make the best of every situation. My favorite line in the movie is, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get.” Trials are like that, we just never know what will come our way.

I really like Cara Wall’s words on the subject. There are basically three kinds of trials in this world. There are the ones God gives which almost always lead to wisdom; there are trials you force upon yourself and should have abandoned, and there are trials we create for others which are more complicated because it is impossible to know whose hand is guiding them. The only advice I can give is don’t ever shrink from those last trials. Run to them. Only in the quality of the struggle with one another will you learn anything about yourself. Sometimes that struggle is almost impossible to survive, but it is those trials which make a life.

During trials, our first job is to face them and still honor God in the process. We do this by tempering our words, our actions, our emotions and exercising perfect faith in God’s goodness and love during the trial. A person has only as much faith he shows in times of trouble.

Trials can tend to become objects of despair if we allow them. We then have a choice to make. If we simply lie down and allow them to crush us, they soon gain uncontrollable momentum. However, if we grab hold of them and seek to control the damage they invoke on us, they can take us on to being an overcomer.

Sometimes trials are sent to help us discover our true worth and gifts in this life. We can go through this life like a firefly who shows very little light except when surrounded by darkness, but through the trials, our light can shine while we discover our gifts and experience real growth.

Trials also come with revelations where God reveals His purpose for our lives and gives us new strength and responsibility going forward. It’s like a pair of shoes that is worn in places as we seek God’s will. You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes; where they are going and where they have been.” Forrest Gump

In life’s trials, we can hold onto one thing: We can trust God to carry us through the trials. He and He alone determines “the end from the beginning” so we can come out of this stronger and wiser.

That’s all I’ve got to say about that. Forrest Gump

All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy who through life has been my guide? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort; here by faith in Him to dwell! For I know whatever befalls me Jesus doeth all things well. Yes, I know whatever befalls me, Jesus doeth all things well. All The Way My Savior Leads Me by Fannie Crosby