Trials…Why?

James 1:2-4 “Dear brothers and sisters, 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.”

I believe there are a few reasons believers face trails:                                                                              

A. To increase our understanding of who God is. 

1.       Yahweh Jireh (Yireh): “The Lord will provide.” Stresses God’s provision for His people (Gen. 22:14).

2.       Yahweh Nissi:“The Lord is my Banner.” Stresses that God is our rallying point and our means of victory; the one who fights for His people (Ex. 17:15).

3.       Yahweh Shalom:“The Lord is Peace.” Points to the Lord as the means of our peace and rest (Jud. 6:24).

4.       Yahweh Ro’i: “The Lord my Shepherd.” Portrays the Lord as the Shepherd who cares for His people as a shepherd cares for the sheep of his pasture (Ps. 23:1).

5.       Yahweh Shammah: “The Lord is there.” Portrays the Lord’s personal presence in the millennial kingdom (Ezek. 48:35).

6.       Comforter: The same Greek word is translated “Advocate” in 1 John 2:1 as applicable to Christ. It means properly “one who is summoned to the side of another” to help him in a court of justice by defending him, “one who is summoned to plead a cause.”

7.       Jehovah-Rapha: “The Lord that Healeth”—Exodus 15:26.

There are many more names of God given in Scripture; however, these are some commonly used names.  In each one we see a different facet of God’s nature/character.  I believe often when we face trails it is to teach us another aspect of that nature.  For instance, if we never faced financial struggles, we wouldn't have to depend on God to provide (Yahweh Jireh ).  If we never struggled with anxiety or fear we would not know God as Yahweh Shalom (our Peace). If we never wondered which direction to take we wouldn't know God as Yahweh Ro’I (our Shepherd). Without illness we would miss knowing God as Jehovah-Rapha (our healer).  

As a Christian, we have head knowledge about God.  We hear sermons, read the Word, listen to Christian music, hear testimonies, etc., however, there is a distinct difference between “knowing” and “KNOWING!”  KNOWING is when our knowledge gets deep into our spirits and penetrates our hearts to the point of life change.  It is this KNOWING God that is his focus for our lives.  It is not until we really KNOW him in his fullness that we can walk in total surrender. 

      B. For God’s power to be shown.  John 9:1-3 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

      At times God allows us to face trials so that his power might be demonstrated before the watching world.  Signs and Wonders are for the unbeliever.  In the Bible think about the crowds that followed Jesus because of the miracles he did.  These miracles got the attention of the lost so they would be more open (in a place to hear) to the message of salvation. 

      C. To test our faith:  1 Peter 1:7 “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” Pastor Stephen Funderburk writes, “God uses crisis in our lives as testing times for our faith. As you win small battles it gives you the confidence to face bigger ones. Sometimes things come along that we must defeat to graduate to a new level.”

D. For correction: Jonah 1:15-17; 2:10 “Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.  Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach."

When we stray from the path, sometimes God allows things to come into our lives to get our attention and turn our hearts back to him.  Jonah is a prime example of this.  He chose to disobey God’s direction to go preach to the Ninevites and he suffered three long days and nights in the belly of a whale.  I’m not sure about you, but I think obedience the first time God speaks is preferable. 

Jonah

By Melissa Larabee

Jonah was a prophet; he thought he knew it all.  Be careful when you get too proud, often that’s when you fall.

He heard the voice of the Lord; he did not like the word.  To preach to Ninevites he thought, “Now that is just absurd!”

They might repent, turn from their sins, and come to know the Lord.  The thought of this boggled his mind; in fact he was just floored.

How could the God he’d faithfully served save undeserving men? How could he ask Jonah to go and take that word to them?

How could God choose to save a race who never cared before? Who shook their fists in God’s face; you see, they’d closed the door.

But God in love looked down and saw a lost and dying land.  He felt compassion in his heart; he wanted to save man.

God knew that Jonah would come around but it would take a drastic move. As Jonah boarded a ship to sail; God’s plan began to brew.

First he sent an awful storm the waves were oh, so high.  The storm it was a horrible gale, the sailors feared they would die.

They all drew lots to see who was the one who caused trouble.  Jonah’s lot it was the shortest one, he confessed there on the double.

He told how he’d disobeyed the Lord. How he’d run so far away.  He told them to throw him overboard then there’d be peace again that day.

The sailors were hesitant of course to throw him in the sea.  But they wanted to be spared and so God gained the victory.

They threw him in and watched him sink toward the bottom like a rock.  There was nowhere for him to swim; they’d long ago left the dock.

As he sank I’m sure he thought, “Wow, this must be the end.”  But God had other plans prepared to save his grumpy friend.

He sent a whale to scoop him up; to hold him for a while.  As God looked down and saw that fish I wonder if he smiled.

For three long days a miracle happened in that beast.  Jonah repented of his sins; it was time for his release.

The whale came up close to the land and lifted up its head.  He puked old Jonah onto the sand, he probably looked half dead.

Smelling like a giant fish he headed on his way.  He preached to the Ninevites who repented on that day.

They turned their backs on their sins and repented of all their wrong.  As Jonah watched he realized this was what God wanted all along.

He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but wants all to receive; forgiveness and the life that comes when in Christ we believe.

My friend, don’t be like old Jonah; obey the first time God speaks. For only through obedience can we live lives full of peace.

      E. As a witness to the world.  We don’t often think about the fact that the world is watching our lives every day.  They are looking to see how we live our lives.  Do we live differently than nonbelievers or do we react in like manner?  They watch to see how we handle hard times and struggles.  If we face each trail as an opportunity for joy in the midst of our sorrow, they will see and wonder where our strength comes from.  Often believers have had opportunity to minister to those around them because of the life they live. 

  

James 1 tells us that no matter what the reason, we need to consider each trail as an opportunity for great joy.  It is an opportunity for our endurance to grow.  Let us learn to view trials through the eyes of the Spirit.