Trials of Life – a Blessing
Over the last few days I was frustrated over many things due to various reasons on all fronts especially on the ministerial end because the genuine people do not go any far but those false prophets and those who take people on a magic spell get the popularity. Looking at all these and then trying hard to get few people to get involved in ministry has been a hazard, with this kind of frame of mind I began this sermon and the Lord surely did put in some amazing facts through His word and that is what I intend to share and I have titled my message this morning as ‘Trials of Life – a Blessing.’
A normal simple dictionary portrays trials as test, experiment, check, tryout, testing or assessment. But I like this word ‘trial’ more than anything since this is one word that we come across in life many times. Remember if you go to a shopping mall – a garment show room you are sure to see this place called the ‘trial room.’ Let me draw some insight into this idea of trial room, in a trial room we are allowed to take only three clothes at a time and we try them till we find it fitting us comfortably if not we pick up some more and try till we get it right. I am sure in a trial for clothes we make a choice of the clothes and we never mind changing as many time as possible. If we try to put the same idea into the trials of life how pleasant it could be because God allows these trials till we fit ourselves perfectly into his plans of perfection that is why I want to call ‘trial’ - a blessing. James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” The bible calls trials as a blessing only for those who love him then for those who do not love God trials are surely a burden, let me come back to that towards the conclusion but now let me take you through 3 important purposes of why we need to go through trials in life.
But before getting the purposes of trials let me read for you the scripture portion in 1 Peter 4:12-16 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. Trials are a blessing because…
1. Trials Refresh:
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Almost all of us when we start our personal computer and the desk top opens up we usually as a normal custom right click the mouse and use the option of refresh, have you ever wondered why you do that? Not a serious thought to it but as a default we do it. Even when we work on the net and the page does not open up we use the refresh option and it works well. Imagine in a similar manner the trials of life are indeed a refreshing phenomena, a good example would be the life of Peter the apostle of Christ. He had trials that are thoroughly abnormal, a man who enjoyed the company of the Lord ever since the first miracle of his life of having huge catch never had troubles until one day the Lord told him that he will deny, three times before the cock could crow. Also the Lord told him when you turn back - strengthen your brothers and not only that he even told him that he had prayed for him concerning the same. Peter did not understand the intensity of the trial he had to go through but his trail gave him a refreshing experience since we read in Acts 12 that Peter was supposed to be executed the next day but he was fast asleep between two soldiers guarding him, there was not even an ounce of fear over the issue because his previous trials had refreshed. Do not worry if you are going through trials it is only a matter of refreshing.
2. Trials Restore:
1 Peter 4:14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
When any of our vehicles get repaired we don’t throw it away as scrap at least in India we don’t do that, we try to restore them back to its normal condition. Like that trials come as a source of restoration. The reason why we can endure a trial is because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. With the help of the Spirit of God we can overcome anything. Again let us consider Peter, he was restored and he also enabled a lot of others to be restored through his ministry. In the book of Acts we read that his first preaching brought about 3000 people to God and then he healed a lame beggar in the name of Jesus and he was taken for trial in the Sanhedrin and their he amazed everyone by his phenomenal speech, a once impulsive man who refused Jesus to wash his feet is now making fellows be on their feet trying to find a solution how to destroy this unschooled intellect. The reason was very simple Peter’s trial had led him to this restoration whereby he was able to restore many. So if you are going through trouble never mind you are likely to be restored in style and become an agent of restoration.
3. Trials Reward:
1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
Lastly, trials bring with it a great reward. I remember doing my M.Phil thesis and the pressure that I have to go through because of it. My professor used to tell me to bring my thesis draft and leave it with him for correction and ask me to meet at an appointed day, and when I go on that day either he would be away on some work or he will simply tell me that he had forgotten to bring the corrected draft. I used to feel like thrashing the guy, but held to my patience knowing that it would pay me. The day of viva for the dissertation was planned and my guide did not turn up that particular day knowing that it was my day for viva. The next alternate day was planned and he was there, to my surprise this guide of mine never asked any question but asked me to explain the thesis and said that I had the Spirit of an academician and I was patiently enduring all his weird behavior. My trials paid me. If a simple ordinary man thinks of trials this way how much more the Lord who created us in his own image be concerned about making us fit his plans. Peter was sure enough received his reward; he was the pioneer in terms of ministering to the gentiles and also was willing to accommodate to fit himself for God’s plan. Be courageous you trials bring your reward – wait on it in the Lord.
Let me illustrate this by sharing what I read written by Beth Landers
A man found a cocoon of the emperor moth and took it home to watch it emerge. One day a small opening appeared, and for several hours the moth struggled but couldn’t seem to force its body past a certain point.
Deciding something was wrong, the man took scissors and snipped the remaining bit of cocoon. The moth emerged easily, its body large and swollen, the wings small and shriveled.
He expected that in a few hours the wings would spread out in their natural beauty, but they did not. Instead of developing into a creature free to fly, the moth spent its life dragging around a swollen body and shriveled wings.
The constricting cocoon and the struggle necessary to pass through the tiny opening are God’s way of forcing fluid from the body into the wings. The "merciful" snip was, in reality, cruel. Sometimes the struggle is exactly what we need.
Conclusion:
I am done with my sermon but I want to apply this truth by asking you few questions. I said in the beginning that trials are a blessing for those who love him. Now the first simple question is how do you know that you love God? If you are in love with someone you can express it by giving them gifts, hugs and kisses and most of all spending time with them. But how can we express our love to God cause He is not present physically to hug or to kiss but it can be done by serving him. When we consider serving it is not necessarily a preaching ministry, but you can bring someone to the church or lead them to the Lord or even a simplest job of cleaning or anything that can suit your capacity.
Let me ask the second question when was the last time you served God and His purposes? Or are you so busy that you don’t have time for God, then let me give my quotation – “If you are too busy for God don’t expect Him to heed.” I earnestly urge you to serve God since trials really mould us and make us what God wants us to be. The most important thing in life is to do the will of God – nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. God bless you. Amen
