The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes eloquently expressed the uncertainty of life when he said, “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life” (7:14, NLT, emphasis mine).
We do not always know what tomorrow holds. Circumstances can turn from pleasant to challenging in the blink of an eye. When those times come, we must be prepared to respond, especially when hardships or temptations test our faith.
During the challenges of life, it can be easy to allow our circumstances to toss us about like waves in the ocean. However, Christians are not left without hope and guidance when trials of faith come. The Bible encourages us that God uses trials of faith to mature and grow His followers. He is working, even if we do not understand what He is doing.
Instead of staggering through these times, believers can take intentional steps toward maturity by memorizing and meditating on God’s Word where they can find encouragement from biblical examples of faith. Like the saints of old, believers can stand firm in faith by cultivating an eternal perspective.
Trust That God Is Working
Tests or trials of faith are not random or meaningless events. These circumstances are used by the Lord to strengthen a believer’s faith and produce spiritual growth. James, the half-brother of Jesus, talked about this in his epistle.
As he writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
The Greek word for “perseverance” in James 1:3 refers to endurance or the patience to remain firm in times of trial (Strong’s Concordance, 5281). The result of perseverance, when it finishes its work, is spiritual maturity (James 1:4). Instead of running away from tests of faith in life, Christians should trust that God is working and yield to His maturing work in them.
Because times of testing are seasons of growth, believers can appreciate the value of trials without diminishing the fact that they are challenging and painful. The Apostle Peter also talked about rejoicing over trials, not because they are enjoyable, but because they “result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).
Trials that test the genuineness of faith are like the process of refining gold with fire (1 Peter 1:6-7). Fire removes the dross or impurities from gold, which is what the refining “fire” of trials does for a believer’s faith. We would be foolish to resist trials of faith since such times are growth opportunities.
Memorize and Meditate on Scripture
Key verses in the Bible remind believers of the value of trials when life tests their faith. However, these verses will not benefit the Christian who is undergoing temptation or hardship if they do not know what the Bible says about their situation.
By making an intentional effort to meditate on and memorize Scripture, believers can store God’s Word in their hearts (Psalm 119:11). Then, the Holy Spirit can use this reservoir of internalized Scripture to remind us of His truth when we need it the most.
There is a difference, though, between memorizing and meditating on Scripture. Both spiritual disciplines work together but are not identical. Memorizing Scripture involves committing it to memory while meditation is focused on thinking deeply about a passage or verse of the Bible.
As a person reflects on a portion of the Bible, they will more easily memorize the specific verse or passage. Doing this regularly is a vital aspect of the believer’s life, especially when the circumstances in life are taxing to their faith.
Any portion of God’s Word is beneficial to commit to memory or to ruminate on for understanding. Certain passages, however, could prove more practical to a person’s situation in life. When undergoing tests of faith, Christians can meditate on verses such as 2 Corinthians 8:2; Hebrews 6:9-12; 12:1-3; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7.
The Book of Psalms is also a wonderful choice for study when we are experiencing trials. As believers read the Bible consistently, they will find more passages that encourage and strengthen their faith.
Find Encouragement in Biblical Faith
In addition to memorizing and meditating on passages of Scripture, believers undergoing tests of faith can also find inspiration from the many biblical stories of faith. The men and women in the Bible were not spiritual “superheroes.” They experienced painful and challenging times just like people today.
Readers of Scripture now have the benefit of hindsight when looking at the stories of the people in the Bible. Such hindsight, though, can sometimes be a hindrance to understanding the faith of those involved in these tests. Followers of God in the Bible did not have spiritual foreknowledge. Their circumstances required acts of faith as they were called into uncertain futures.
Hebrews 11, “the faith chapter” provides a summary of people who underwent trials of faith. For instance, in the early part of the chapter, Abraham is said to have obeyed God in going to the land promised to him, “even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). By that same faith, Abraham was also willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1-2).
He did not know what was going to happen but trusted that God would somehow resurrect his son (Hebrews 11:17-19). We know that God stopped Abraham before slaying his son, but Abraham did not know this (Genesis 22:12). He relied on his faith, which is why God credited this act of faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).
Likewise, the rest of the individuals in Hebrews 11 also demonstrated faith in times of testing. Many of these people were persecuted and killed (Hebrews 11:37). Others had to live in caves, wandering the land homeless (Hebrews 11:37). However, they continued to persevere in faith.
An essential part of their faith was their focus. Instead of being preoccupied with immediate circumstances, these believers had a heavenly perspective (Hebrews 11:14-16). Similarly, we can also develop an eternal perspective instead of focusing on the trials of life.
As 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (NLT). We can fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race of life (Hebrews 12:2).
Stand Firm in Faith
Knowing that the tests we face in life can help us grow in spiritual maturity and cultivate an eternal mindset, we should be less likely to resist trials. God is working through these frustrating and painful times.
Countless followers of God have gone before us, leaving us a strong testimony of faith and a reminder that the Lord is trustworthy. By intentionally reflecting on these examples and the other truths of Scripture, believers can stand firm during trials.
For further reading:
Is it True That God ‘Works Behind the Scenes’?
What Are Trials and Tribulations?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Doucefleur
