How Trials Help Us=
Grow
James 1:2-8, 1=
2
Job 23:10
Introduction
Trials are unscheduled, un-welcomed interrupt=
ions
in the normal pattern of life t=
hat
always seem to come at the worst possible time.
They may last for day=
s,
weeks, or even years, and the exact reason for them may never be made
completely clear to us.
Trials are absolutely necessary to our
spiritual growth!
A smooth sea never made a good sailor.
The strongest trees are tested by adverse winds =
and
drought.
The Bible says the hard times we f=
ace in
life are so important to our growth that we should actually welcome them.
But our tendency is t=
o want
to avoid all pain and unpleasantness.
The Definiti=
on of a=
Trial
An adverse set of circumstances in your =
life,
either permitted or created by God, to develop you spirituall=
y.
The Right Response to Trials
1. Expect Them
“whenever” not
“if”
=
ILLUS &n=
bsp; Will
He u=
sed
to read the newspapers and comment on various items during his routine.
Once
read headline: “Innocent
Bystander Shot in
R=
20;How
about that,” he said.
R=
20;All
you have to do to get shot in
That=
’s
how it is with trials. Just stand by and you will get hit!
2. Recognize Them
=
“various<=
/span>”
=
They
come in all kinds of forms:
=
Physical,
financial, relational, emotional
3. Accept Them
Hupo-menno” Gk for endurance
&nb=
sp; “To
stay or abide under”
Pict=
ure
of dome of pressure and our desire is to run, get out from under it!
Trying to avoid trials
is like changing schools in order to avoid tests.
=
Stay, and s=
ay,
“Okay, God, now what?”
4. Grow Through Them
=
God wants to make us mature.
&nb=
sp; He
wants to grow us through the trial.
&nb= sp; It has a good purpose (Romans 8:28).<= o:p>
&nb=
sp; The
interesting thing about trials is that they are custom made!
&nb=
sp; Your
trials have your name on them!
&nb=
sp; Example:
Paul’s thorn in the fle=
sh
5. Learn Through Them
=
Now
if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God
&nb=
sp; God
will guide us through the trial.
&nb=
sp; God
will teach us life lessons by the trial.
The Reasons for Trials
For
the Christian there is no such thing as a purposeless trial.
1. Trials test our faith =
and
strengthen our faith.
(Trust)
1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, even =
though
now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various <=
span
class=3DSpellE>trials,so that the proof of your faith, being more pr=
ecious
than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
“There can be no rai= nbow without a cloud and storm.” &nbs= p; - Author unknown
“God
tries our faith so that we may try his faithfulness.”
It
is in the midst of trials that we experience God’s faithfulness and l=
earn
to see and trust His promise.
2.&nb=
sp; Trials
reveal our weaknesses & teach us to depend on God.
(Humility)
3. Trials reveal our corrupt =
sinfulness
and refine us.
(Submission)
“No pres=
sure
– no diamonds!” &nb=
sp; -
Mary Case
Spurgeon said:
“The trials of the saint are=
a
‘divine pruning’ by which he grows and brings forth abundant
fruit.”
4. Trials reveal our spiritual <=
u>strength
and make us stronger.
(Endurance)
5.&nb=
sp; Trials
test our spiritual maturity and help us grow toward maturity.=
&=
nbsp; (Godly
character)
6. Trials prepare us and =
empower
us for greater service.
(Spirit-filled)
Example= : Jesus after his temptation re= turned in the power of the Spirit ready to begin his public ministry.
But the most important truth about trials is one more that is not on
your notes:
7.&nb=
sp; Trials
can get us refocused on God and be used to draw us closer to Him. =
(Intimacy)
“All our difficulties are on=
ly
platforms for the manifestation of His grace, power and love.”
Conclusion
If we fail the test we= will be
Unstab= le,
Vulner= able,
And unblessed!
If we pass the test:
We prove = our love for God,
We will <= u>grow spiritually stronger,
Our respo= nse to the trial will glorify God
And we will be rewarded