Dealing With Difficult Times

Commentary

Going through trials is never enjoyable. If given the option, we’d 100% of the time choose to avoid them. But it’s through such trials that God forges us and strengthens our faith. Like fire hardening steel, the trials we face and will face are that fire which brings strength to our currently brittle spiritual state. The Bible teaches that God will transform us to be like His Son, and that transformation began the moment you placed your trust in Jesus.

Though we already look ahead to when the triumph over our trial will come, once the trial hits, it’s not the breakthrough which offers the greatest benefit. Hard as it is, it’s the time inside the trial which is most advantageous for the believer. It’s in that time of suffering that we call out to God in ways which we’d fail to otherwise. And it’s during such time that He brings the greatest amount of spiritual growth to you.

Commentary

In the passage above, Paul, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is teaching that we should rejoice when affliction hits us, because in that affliction comes the strengthening of our inner self. It’s endurance, Christ-like character, and hope in the Lord which aid in our ability to stand the tests of our faith and to endure the hardships of this life; with a God-given strength, which not even the gates of Hell can contend with, when relied upon in full measure.

It’s natural to us and easy for us to try and maneuver through difficult seasons utilizing our own wisdom. In that wisdom, you may think, “if I just had more money, then the problem would be solved”, or “if I was so and so, then I would not be dealing with this”. This is something we are all guilty of doing; in times of weakness and laziness, we don’t seek the Lord for His wisdom. No matter how much money you have, how much focus you put on your health, or the status you hold in life, all of that can be taken away in a blink of an eye. God allows such trials in our lives to strengthen and grow our hope in Him, because He is all that we truly need.

Commentary

It can be tempting to try and place the blame on God for the troubles we face. But many of the hardships we face come directly from our own sinful actions. It’s important to understand that God never changes; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is light, and there is no darkness in Him. So anything that is filled with evil is not from Him but allowed by Him in His permissible will, which our free will is subject to.

If you acted in sin and got yourself into a bad situation, God can help you through, but know that He may allow you to suffer the consequences, out of love, as a disciplinary action. If what you are going through is a temptation to sin, Jesus promises that there is always a way out provided by Him, but you must choose it. As an example, if you have an urge to look at pornography, you would find a way out of that temptation by instead praying and/or reading the Bible until that temptation passes, then rinse and repeat to avoid it again and again.

Now if you’re staying out of trouble and trying to avoid temptation, but season after season of difficulty is coming at you, it very well could be that God is trying to get your attention. If you’ve not been focused on Him through prayer and Bible study, yet only run to him when things are difficult, He may be bringing trials your way so that you will focus again on Him. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of only seeking the Lord when in need, but like any relationship, there needs to be communication with Him every day, even when life is going great.

Commentary

Fear is crippling, and fear created by lies will motivate even the most stubborn of people to go against their conscience and beliefs if they have believed the lies. The demonic forces around us traffick in that lie-driven fear, and lying is the currency of Satan. The troubles we face may incite wrongful fear in us, but we must understand that there is no reason for such fear. With Jesus, there is nothing that can harm our souls, even if harm comes to our mortal bodies.

Apart from the forging effects trials have on our spiritual being, they can also serve as a powerful, visible witness to our faith in Christ. When the unbelievers around you are overcome with despair, yet see you thriving in an unbelievable hope and joy — even as the world around you is in chaos — it serves as a strong witness for Jesus. COVID-19 was a perfect example of that; the lost started to freak out, while those who are strong in Christ remained relatively calm, and that is powerful beyond any words of encouragement that we could share.

The trials and afflictions of life not only strengthen our faith and hope in Jesus, they also keep us humble and reliant upon Him. God may not heal your anxiety disorder or restore your physical strength because it may be that if you were healed of such things, then you would try even more to walk in your own abilities and understanding. Paul desperately prayed for the Lord’s removal of whatever was afflicting him, but Jesus instead told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Commentary

Let’s end this with words of encouragement that can be found in Scripture. No matter what you may face, know that the Lord is with you. You are never alone, and an escape from temptation is always available through Him. If you walk in the Spirit, then your seasons of trials and tribulations will not only be for your sanctification but may also serve as a strong witness to those lost souls around you or even encourage a Christian who is weak in faith.

When the days grow dark and the hours bring numbing fear, may the Lord be your guide, your strength, and your hope — and His Word be the lamp at your feet which lights the path ahead.