The trials and tribulations of this life can wear us down. The enemy wants to use them to destroy us, while God wants to use them to drive us deeper into dependence on Him as our very life. In John 16:33, Jesus stated, “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
God desires that we realize that His power is perfected in our weakness. Therefore, since we all have the flesh, we will all find ourselves powerless to carry out God’s will—unless we practice depending on Jesus as our life source. In 2 Corinthians 4:7, we are told that we have the treasure of Jesus’s presence living within us to show that the all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. Exodus 33:14 encourages us that God’s presence will go with us and that He will give us rest.
The purpose of the trials of this life are to move us to maturity. The troubles of this life often overwhelm us and can lead to brokenness, so that our hearts may be prepared to trust God as our source of life and rest. Many of us may wish there was an easier way. We sometimes wish that there was a spiritual growth vitamin pill! Yet, God uses the old-fashioned method of allowing our deep needs to drive us to Him—our loving, faithful Savior and Friend.
Bible verses to read and think about:
A. The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Acts 14:22 that we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. He was reminding Christians of the same message that Jesus declared: “In this world you will have trouble.” Psalm 34:17-19 reminds us that God will go through our trials with us. Verse 17 states that the righteous have many troubles, but the Lord delivers them from all of them.
B. James 1:2-8 indicates that the purpose of our trials is to move us to maturity. When in the midst of overwhelming trials, we need wisdom. If we pray, believing that God will give us wisdom, He promises to do so; since He is faithful to help us in our time of need. 1 Peter 5:6-7 invites us to humble ourselves and cast all our anxiety upon Him, for He cares for us.
C. Romans 5:1-5 explains that we access God’s grace by faith. In the midst of our trouble, as we trust God to deliver us, He pours out His love and strength upon us. God promises to accomplish what concerns us (Psalm 57:1-2). He is our stronghold and refuge in time of trouble and will help and deliver us. (See Psalm 37:39-40) Psalm 68:19 tells us that God will bear our daily burdens. God is interested in helping us in all aspects of our life.
D. As God’s children, the trials and tribulations of this life can lead us to trust God; or they can tempt us to rebel against God. Psalm 62:8 directs us to pour out our hearts to God. The psalmist acknowledged his problems and deep emotional upheaval but continued to trust God expectantly for His help. As we deal with difficulty in our lives, we can be honest with God and still submit our wills to Him—expecting that He will work through us and empower us. Read Hebrews 4:1-3,10-11. As God’s children, we cannot enter into God’s rest if we don’t practice trusting Him. We read in Matthew 11:28-30 that Jesus invites us to come to Him and that He will give us rest in the midst of our difficulties.