Why Do We Go Through Trials?

Life is Hard.

That's what a lot of people say...not just the cynics.  The optimists say it too.  Why?

Because it's TRUE.

We don't usually have a choice in the trials we go through.  But at the end of them, most people would say that they wouldn't trade that experience for the world.  Why?

Because the trials CHANGE us.

At our house church a couple weeks ago we talked about the possible reasons God allows us to go through trials.  Here's what we came up with:

*Test our faith - is it genuine?  To refine and sanctify us (1 Peter)
*Develop perseverance/endurance (James)
*Teach us to run to Him as our refuge (Psalm 11)
*Bring us closer to Jesus - creates more intimate relationship
*Discipline/train us (Hebrew 12)
*Grow our faith

I've been thinking about it a lot because I realized how much more I desire and love Jesus and the gospel because of my trials.  Because I've had to cling to Him, and in the clinging I learned that our God is a personal, empathetic God.  He's been here (Hebrews 4:14-16).  In pain, despair, fear, loneliness, death, disrespect, chaos, temptation.  So when I am faced with hard things, He has been teaching me that He wants me to run to Him, be in His presence, hear His voice, talk to Him.

And yet we don't serve a wimpy Savior but one who overcame evil with good, who defeated death so we could have life.  So while we're still on earth, experiencing pain and trials, be comforted by the fact that Jesus has overcome (which gives us victory and peace) and He stands beside you and says, "I know."