Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. —James 1:2-3
God never promised that our Christian lives would be without suffering. In fact,
the Word says the opposite and uses verses like James 1:2-3 to prepare us for the fact that there will be pain. Some people think it’s not fair that they still have to
deal with hurt and discomfort, but these emotions are important tools for strengthening your faith. Belief and trust that is untested is also unproven. If God does not watch for our reactions during the stormy times, how does He know we will turn to Him? He
also uses tribulations to test our response once the suffering has passed. After
all, how can we minister to a lost and dying world if we don’t have our own experience needing faith? There will be dark times, even for Christians. Sometimes it will seem like the trials never end or that we will never recover from the strain. It’s important to remember that this isn’t true. All our pain in this world is only temporary. God will likely fix your situation and restore the balance in your life. Even if He doesn’t, however, you’re still destined for an eternity without pain or sadness. Our earthly lives are brief in comparison to eternity ... just a quick flash in the pan. Today, find peace knowing your trials are only temporary. No matter how hard
they may seem, they will pass. And in the meantime, they serve as fantastic
practice to improve your testimony and demonstrate a living Christian example
for those around you.
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