A Time of Thanks
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2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
How many of us have had trials and tribulation in our lives? Think back to a certain thing we have gone through, or maybe we are going through now. What do you think God was/is trying to teach us?
Or, is there something else going on that God is trying to do? I mean, is He trying to teach us patience? Is He trying to make us more thankful? What is He trying to do? While we may not understand what He is trying to teach us, at times we know we must endure so we can grow closer to Him. James tells us that we should approach these trials with thanksgiving. But it is hard, especially when we are in the middle of tough battles, whether they be physical, mental, or spiritual. It’s hard to look at the battle as a way for us to grow in our faith. It’s tough to see these battles as God’s blessings when we are struggling just to survive. If you are struggling with being thankful during your trials today, let me tell you I understand. Don’t think you are alone if you really can’t find joy in the middle of tribulation.
Steadfastness is the ability to be patient, endurance, and fortitude. This leads us to be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. It grows us in our faith, gives us the peace we need to get through the trials, and the endurance to run the race.
But why do we have testings? Why trials and tribulations? Sometimes, it’s a test, sometimes it’s to grow us, and sometimes it’s a sacrifice.
Sometimes, it’s a Test
Sometimes, it’s a Test
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
There was a congregation of messengers who came to God, and Satan joins them.
We must be perfectly clear Satan still has access to heaven. In this case, he came and had nothing good in mind. When asked what he was up to, he simply answered the Lord saying he was “going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it’.
If we wonder why we have trials and tribulations in this life, it’s because we have an accuser looking to create turmoil in our lives. Sometimes, we are just being tested - for no other reason than Satan has nothing better to do.
But notice Satan was looking for someone in particular, but because of God’s hedge of protection could not, or would not, touch Job until receiving permission from God. How about having so much faith in or Lord that we are the first one He thinks of as a person who would not falter in their testing? Job, God’s servant - was known to have a perfect character; blameless and upright, fearing God and running from evil. There was no one like Job, when it came to his character. So, why would God allow him to be tested? Because God had a special purpose for Job. Throughout all Job’s trials, God was in control. Even though Satan’s intentions were evil, God’s was for proving Job’s character and God’s sovereignty.
It might be that the trials in our life is so God can prove that He is still sovereign. It might be that God knows we can withstand the testing so He can once again prove satan wrong. But other times, it may be for us to grow in our relationship with Him.
Sometimes, it’s to Grow
Sometimes, it’s to Grow
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul knew the power of Jesus. He had been introduced to Him personally on the Road to Damascus. That day had changed him for eternity. From that day forward, Paul was given an opportunity to grow spiritually, but there was the danger he might think “too highly of himself”. Paul tells us, to keep him humble, he was given a “thorn in the flesh”.
Did this keep Paul from praising his Savior? Did this keep Paul from spreading the gospel to a lost and dying word? Did this affect the relationship between Paul and God? No!
Paul knew He needed this “thorn” to keep him humble - to remind him that he was no better than any other person. He, too, was totally dependent on God, despite all the experiences God afforded Him.
While we do not know the full meaning of the “thorn in the flesh”, we know Paul suffered from poor eyesight.
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
But, he also suffered from constant attacks by Satan and men who opposed him. All these things happened in order to keep Paul humble and on his knees in prayer, seeking God’s strength.
Paul had his fair share of difficulties. Being blinded for three days at his conversion. Badly beaten and stoned several times.
24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Paul had suffered many, great physical harms. He asked God to be delivered, to have some relief. He wanted God to remove the thorn. Why? It was bothersome, it was a distraction from the ministry, and it made him appear weak or sick. Three times Paul asked for God to remove the thorn. Three times, God refused.
Why would God refuse to remove this thorn from someone who was as faithful as Paul? To keep Paul humble, to reveal His power to Paul, and to rely on the strength he gained from his reliance on Christ. God simply summed it up by telling Paul His grace was sufficient. It was His power that was perfect in Paul’s weakness.
Maybe we are undergoing testing, trials, or tribulations so that God could show His power to us through our weakness. He provides us with the power to overcome. He strengthens our mind and our heart. He gives us what it takes to overcome and conquer all that we are going through. He is growing us and our faith. But other times, our trials could be a sacrifice for Him.
Sometimes, its a Sacrifice.
Sometimes, its a Sacrifice.
1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
One of the hardest things we face as Christians is to sacrifice ourselves so that we can be fully reliant on God. Jesus denied Himself, suffering in the flesh. Jesus lived a pure, sinless life, and was persecuted for it. Jesus would be THE sacrifice, and suffered humiliation, ridicule, mockery, beatings, and even death in order to offer saving grace to each and every one of us.
Now we are told to do the same - arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. We will be persecuted as He was.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
We are in a spiritual warfare with our sinful flesh, and it will destroy us unless we overcome them, so we must armor ourselves with the mind of Christ. We must die to ourselves and suffer for Christ. We must identify with Christ by denying ourselves and suffering in His name. We must become more like Christ. Even if we are persecuted for it.
But how do we do this? We have to transform our minds, arming ourselves with the mind of Christ. We deny our fleshly desires. We suffer for Christ. We deny sin and strive to live like Jesus lived - a sinless and perfect life.
We should understand that becoming more like Christ brings it’s own set of hardships. The more we become like Him, the more we will suffer for Him. So how do we strengthen ourselves so that we can endure the persecution? We deny ourselves the things of this world that are not of God.
Now, this does not mean we will not be tempted, it does not mean we will not fail and sin, but it does mean we do not allow the things of this world to rule our lives. We commit the “rest of our days” to the will of God. That’s what the mind of Christ means - we are totally committed to the will of God. Our focus is on living a life pleasing to Him, and taking the gospel to everyone we see.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So, how do we find thanksgiving during times of testing, trials, and tribulations? We put our full trust and faith in Jesus, and follow His example of trusting in God. Don’t lose hope, sometimes God is allowing us to be tested like Job, sometimes He is trying to grow us like Paul, and sometimes we are asked to sacrifice like Jesus. Through it all, though, we know God’s main purpose and goal is for us to come out stronger and praising Him as he matures our faith.