The Purpose of
Trials
September 16, 2002
Why? It's the question that hits first and lingers
longest. Why me? Why now? Why this? Most people don't even try
to answer such questions. How could they? That's what makes the
words of James, the half-brother of Jesus so unexpected. He
didn't hesitate to declare that the purpose of all testing is to
produce "perseverance" in the life of the sufferer (James
1:2-4). Instead of looking at the disappointments we face, he
exhorts us to look beyond the hardship to the character it will
produce in our lives.
But the outcome is by no means certain. That's the
kicker. There's no guarantee that adversity will produce
character. That's why Jesus told Peter, "I have prayed for you,
Simon, that your faith will not fail" (Luke 22:31-32). Jesus
knew that hardship could surely strengthen Peter's
character--provided he would maintain his faith in God. Such a
spiritual reality changes how we view adversity. Or, it should.
That's why James told his readers, "Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials" (James 1:2).
Can you read those words without slamming on your
mental brakes? I can't. The first time I read that line I
misunderstood its meaning. I thought he was saying something
like, "Rejoice that you have cancer. Be happy your dog just
died. Celebrate your business failure."
On the surface that does appear to be what he's
saying. But a closer look reveals something significant. James
didn't urge us to be joyful because of the trials we face.
Instead, he urged us to find joy in the outcome of those trials.
We don't' celebrate problems; we celebrate that God can use
problems to make us better men. Adversity does for our soul what
weight lifting does for our bodies. It makes us stronger. It
empowers us to finish what we start.
If you're like me you'd prefer developing internal
strength without pain. But that's not possible. There are no
detours around suffering. Every man will suffer hardship and
disappointment. You'll experience the betrayal of a friend.
You'll face seemingly endless delays. You'll know the pain of
having well-thought-out plans fail.
While you can't avoid hardship, you can choose to
cultivate joy in the midst of setbacks--by believing God will
use them to strengthen your character. That's the hope you must
rivet your attention on, like a guiding star, to help you make
it though dark nights.
The next time you want to ask God "why?" Reflect
on the words of James. Ask God for the grace you need to see him
through the fog of pain. Ask him to enable you to keep trusting
in him as he makes you a man who perseveres. If enough of us do
that, and lock arms--we'll see revival come, one man, one day at
a time.
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