Holding On To My Faith Part 4 Series

Trials are a fact of living in this fallen world, so we all need to learn what God’s Word tells us about how to handle them. The problem is, the biblical approach to trials is just plain crazy! Paul says that he glories or rejoices in his tribulations.

But it’s not just Paul. James says the same thing (1:2-3): “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Peter also gets in on this in (1 Pet. 4:13-14): “But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Even when you trace the behavior of the apostles through the Book of Acts, you discover that they actually practiced this strange response to trials. When the apostles were beaten by the Jewish Sanhedrin, we read (Acts 5:41), “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” When Paul and Silas were illegally beaten, imprisoned, and fastened into the stocks in Philippi, we read (Acts 16:25), “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God.” Paul told the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:9b-10), “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

So we can’t escape the fact that this strange response of exulting in trials is the uniform teaching of the New Testament. But if you’re like me, you have to admit that this is not your normal response! Some of us may be able to say that we don’t complain about our trials. We grit our teeth and endure them. A few of us may be able to say that you usually rejoice in spite of your trials. But how many of us can honestly say that we glory or rejoice in our trials? So Paul is trying to teach us something here.

Because someone will say to you, or maybe you’ve even wondered - “if you have peace with God, then why are you going through this hard time?” “if you have such a standing in His grace, why doesn’t God protect you from trials right now? “If you are the object of His love and Grace, shouldn’t you be enjoying a trouble-free life?”

So Paul is showing us why God brings trials into the lives of His saints: because through the trials, we grow in endurance, proven character, and hope. And our hope will not disappoint, because even now God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

V. 3-5 OUR PRIVILEGES AS BELIEVERS

(Ill. We’ve already learned that we are saved and we are secure, but right now, we live in a world of trials and tribulations. So we need help today in these areas as well. Notice some of the great privileges that are ours as believers in Jesus Christ.)

A. The Ability To Rejoice In Trouble - Paul says that the Christian can rejoice (the word, literally, is boasting or glorying in) in the bad times of life. Why is this true? Because of the little word "knowing". When the trials of life descend, the true believer knows that God is working out His will in our lives and is attempting to produce in us a state of Christlikeness. In other words, God is trying to make us more like Jesus. (I just gave you the ending in the beginning)

(Ill. The word "tribulations" means "pressure". There are certainly times when this life will apply pressure on the child of God. But, the mature Christian also knows that it takes pressure to produce Christlikeness. Pressure is the process used to turn coal into diamonds. And likewise, it is pressure in the life of the believer that forces out more of the old, sinful nature and reveals more of the image of God.)

(You see, we can rejoice in trouble if we will just remember that every trial is a blessing from the very hand of God, that’s why Rom. 8:28 says “and we know all things work together for good to them that love God.” That means that although I’m going this trial, although I’m going through this test, I can rejoice in it because I know that God is working it all out for my good.