I think you will agree that facing trials, or life’s issues is daunting and difficult. But what if I told you that in doing so builds character and we just might be on the right path that God wants us to be. I have faced so many trials. As you know, my latest is the divorce. However, before that transition, God spoke to me in a dream, years ago, that told me to hold on to Jesus, because beasts will come out and try to take me down (more on that later). As I weakened over the years, my husband decided that he no longer wanted me. But my faith and hope has always been in Jesus. He is my calm in the storm.
by the end of this series, you will have a better understanding of what a trial is, what to do in the midst of it and how to overcome, even when all seems hopeless, because there is hope in Jesus Christ. You will overcome your trial with love, holy love. And it will be your path to glory.
What are trials?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, trials have many definitions, but the one we will use for the context of this post is this: “a test of faith, patience, or stamina through subjection to suffering or temptation” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trial). The bible mentions trials at least twelve times (depending on the version). Among their many names are tests, tribulations, struggles, ordeals, strife, and so on. The other variations of trials are mentioned over seven hundred seventy times. Wow! There must be a reason God has this in the Word.
We are going to dig into this topic by scripture, verse by verse, piece by piece. We have a lot to unravel, so let’s search it out.
Why are they important?
Trials make us stronger. It may not seem like it now, because it is painful. At the end of it, you will see what God was doing. Sometimes, we create our own trials by our choices. Sometimes, it wasn’t our fault. But either way, God will use that situation to make you stronger, so that He receives the glory.
Our scriptures for this series are Psalms 37 and 57, Luke 12:49-53, Romans 5:3-5 and 1 Peter 2:18-25:
- Psalm 37: Understanding Trials: The Purpose Behind the Pain.
- Psalm 57: Embracing Mercy and Trust in God’s Unfailing Love.
- Luke 12:49-53: Bridging the Gap: Finding Common Ground Amidst Spiritual Divisions.
- Romans 5:3-5: Nurturing a Deeper Love for God in Times of Trial and Triumph.
- 1 Peter 2:18-25: Living for Righteousness: A Commitment to Integrity and Faith.
Logically, we all want to throw in the towel and give up. Or we want to fight as hard as we can physically and verbally. We cry out to God, ‘Why God? Why?” Or we may ask where God is. What did I do to deserve this? Life just is not fair, because we all want things to go our way.
But, in God’s grand scheme, that is not how it works. We all must face adversity and challenges. It is all about how we deal with them that will make us stronger. It is in the pain that we see God and His miracles. Today, we will focus on Psalm 37.
Understanding Trials: The Purpose Behind the Pain
Psalm 37 The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked A Psalm of David.
1 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15 Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous. 18 The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. 21 The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. 22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. 28 For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.
This is a large scripture, but we are going to break it apart to understand it fully. Let’s start in verses one through six: 1 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Things happen. People betray us. That includes family (there is a scripture on this too. We will dig deep into this later in the series). If they are doing well, while you are trying to hang on, don’t take it to heart. They may think they are prospering, but God has another plan for you and for them.
God does not like to see His children hurt and suffering. But, at the same time, we must grow through the pain and suffering. We can learn some valuable lessons within ourselves when we are pushed into difficulty. But those that are hurting us will have to deal with their consequences as well. We may not see it at the moment. This is a war zone in the spiritual realm, and we cannot see what is happening. But trust God.
We must trust God and do what is right. stay where you are and nourish yourself on His dependability. Trust. Even when it may be hard.
If you are blaming God and can’t seem to trust Him, remember, He is Truth, and Life. He is Love. When we are in the middle of this hardship, it can be difficult to believe there is light at the end of this tunnel. Do good anyway. Stay prayed up. Study His Word. Praying and studying what He says feeds your soul, which will also bring unnatural peace.
Verse four says to Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. How can we be delighted in this tragedy? Because we don’t delight in the pain per se (although we can, see the New Testament), but we delight in God’s love, grace, and mercy. If we stay in His presence, He will give us our hearts’ desires. Now, I know God is not a genie, he doesn’t give us piles of gold and the supermodel on the cover the magazine. But, if you are praying, earnestly, then He will make it happen, so long as it glorifies Him.
We still have a lot to uncover over the next few weeks. Study this scripture and we will meet again next week.
