Dwell On It: Why is this happening?

Question: Why do we go through trials?

Answers:
1. To refine us
2. To make us totally dependent on Christ
3. Because Christ told us we would

1. James 1:2-4 says, “...when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” Trials are an excellent way to show us where we are not in full submission to God. Our hearts are constantly looking to pursue, and ultimately worship, something. Whether that becomes our family, our jobs, sports, substances, pleasure, etc. we will never have true joy pursuing anything and/or anyone other than Jesus Christ.

2. Job 1:21 says, “...The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has
taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” What we read in Job gives us a look at what it means to be totally dependent on Christ. Throughout all of the suffering Job endured, and he had no idea why it happened, he refused to curse God and lose belief in Him. We will go through more than we can handle, and part of that is to learn to walk in faith, one step at a time, relying on Jesus.

Going back to the first answer and James 1:4, we read that “...you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” When we are totally dependent on Christ, we think a lot less about our current situation in life and a lot more about how to give God glory and praise Him in whichever situation and circumstance we face.

3. Going through trials is a matter of “when”, not “if”. Jesus says in John
16:33 “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Trials and persecutions will happen. Some days in life are better than others, some years are better than others. We can go from the mountain top to the valley in one phone call. We may struggle with an addiction, lose our health, lose a child, etc. We may never know the reason why. One thing is for sure, trials can bring us closer to God because He knows what we are going through. He promises to walk beside us through it; and sometimes to sit down beside us when we need a break. We can’t handle them alone– walking through a trial with Jesus and a faith community around us, makes us more like Jesus and closer to Jesus on the other side. He wants us to keep our eyes focused on Him through all the confusion and chaos.