Minister column for June 20, 2008

By Rev. Bobby Hines
Published: June 20, 2008

Trials, temptations can be blessings in disguise
“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor the child of God perfected without adversity.”
The path of life is not always an easy path to walk. It is filled with all kinds of trials and temptations. We go through trials of sickness, disease, accidents, sorrow, sufferings and death.
We are also faced with temptations of sin and evil all around us. We all need a way to conquer or overcome the trials and temptations of life. Everyone, Christians and non-believers, face many trials in life.
The Christian should depend on Jesus Christ to give him or her hope, strength and assurance to be overcomers of the trials of life. The answer for the Christian is to possess a spirit of joy and perseverance as we face trials. God’s Word should be used in our lives, as we face temptations in life. Just as Jesus overcame Satan’s attack by the Word of God, it will still work today, if we will use it.
Let’s look at God’s Word in James 1:2-4 and allow God to speak to us. Verse two says, “My brother, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations.”
First, we see it is a definite fact that we will face many trials and temptations in our lives. Temptation means more than to be tempted. It also means to be tested, tried and proven; therefore, temptations in our lives come for a very beneficial purpose. The question is, “What is that purpose?”
The purpose is to make us stronger and more complete or pure in Jesus Christ.
When we are faced with temptation and overcome, we become a stronger person, one who pleases God, and it also builds our personal confidence. As we have victory through the trials of life, we grow stronger spiritually and gain the strength to persevere.
We also grow spiritually in our witness for Christ, as others watch to see how we handle our trials and temptations. Not only do others see, but we, too, can see the benefits of being strengthened and proven. Once we have gone through them, many times we can look back and see the purpose.
We must remember that trials and temptations are for our good and God’s glory. When we overcome or conquer them, we become more like Christ, our Lord; therefore, He is glorified in and through our lives. We learn to trust Christ more each time, and our faith grows by our dependence on Him as Lord.
As we see in verse two, we need joy to help us face and overcome trials and temptations. God gives that joy to the believer, as we see in Galatians 5:22. As the trials come, and we trust God’s Word and depend on Christ, the joy He has given to us will be reflected in our lives.
You may ask how this is possible. How can one be joyful facing trials of disease, accidents, pain, sorrow, suffering and death? It is not that we are joyful because of them, but we have a joy in Christ, knowing the strength we need to get through the trials is in Him. We suffer and hurt, but we know Christ has promised He will never leave or forsake us. We don’t have to face trials in our own strength, but we can depend and rest in the strength of Christ. We know joy is usually not what fills our hearts when we face hurtful things in life. We may hurt or be discouraged, but let us think on Jesus Christ, look to Him, and ask Him to fill us with His joy to overcome the hurts.
Verse three tells us, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
Trials and temptations are not to defeat us or discourage us, but they come to prove us, strengthen us, and draw us closer to Jesus Christ.
The word “patience” means to be steadfast, to persevere, to endure; therefore, the trials and temptations are to make the Christian stronger spiritually, not weaker. God wants to build godly character in all of His children. The Scriptures tell us to allow patience to do a work within us. Jesus reminds us over and over to endure to the end.
The result of trials and temptations is seen in verse four where it says, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
It is a great witness and blessing to others when Christians overcome trials and temptations. The Christian becomes more perfect, complete or mature in Christ, and others are able to see Christ in our lives. When we rest in God and depend upon Him through the trials and temptations of life, He will bless us and fill us with His joy.
Jesus Christ is our supreme example.