Rejoice in Trials? Really? James 1:2-4

Note from P Shields: this article or blog is by Carol Taylor and she brings some deep insights into this topic. Enjoy. 

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We all know what happens if muscles are not exercised—they get flabby. Not because they ‘turn to fat’ but because they lose the mass that developed when we were pushing them. Neither bones nor muscles develop properly nor remain healthy if there is no stress put on them. Even seedlings must endure some wind at times, or they will grow up weak and scrawny.

            If we didn’t have to go through any difficulties, we think we’d be happier, but we wouldn’t be growing like we should. Unlike animals, virtually every new motor skill we learn results in many failures before accomplishment—whether walking, running, jumping, climbing, skating, biking or whatever. It’s a good thing we start learning these things as children, because a great many adults would likely never try, knowing the struggle it was going to be.

            In the same way, trials are a necessary part of our growth, maturity, and development. And don’t think that all trials are some kind of punishment from God! Remember it says of Christ that He ‘learned obedience by the things He suffered.’ (Heb 5:8) This does not mean that Christ was disobedient in any way! It means He learned how difficult obedience is when we have to deny our natural evil instincts.

            “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:15-16)

            Have you ever had someone tell you, “I know just what you’re going through!”? Unless that person has gone through what you’ve gone through, they can’t really understand. There just is no way to know what it’s like to lose a child, a mate, go through divorce, a serious car accident, loss of a job, long-term illness, suffer endless severe pain, etc. unless you have gone through it yourself. We can sympathize with someone’s trials, but we cannot empathize unless we’ve been through a similar experience.

            In that regard, Paul said something very interesting about his trials: “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church.” (Colossians 1:24 NIV)

            What does he mean about afflictions which are ‘lacking’ in Christ’s Body? It's quite possible it means that his (and our) sufferings and endurance in trials add knowledge and understanding to His own Body! After all, there are all kinds of human afflictions Christ had no time or opportunity to experience during His short time on earth. Christ never lost an arm or leg, never had a disease, never lost a child, never was paralyzed, never had his home vandalized, never was in a severe accident… The list could go on and on. And, in order for the Body of Christ—the Church—to be fully empathetic of every type of human tragedy and suffering, it would make sense that at least one of the Elect has to go through it. Then, as a complete entity, the Body of Christ would never encounter anyone throughout the ages who would be able to say, “You don’t understand.”

            We know Paul was not being punished when he suffered a shipwreck, was left in the open sea to drown, was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, disrespected, etc. But he was a light to the world in his sufferings, was miraculously preserved from death many times, and rejoiced that he was counted worthy to add his afflictions to Christ’s Body—the Church.  So, we too or even as the direct result of ours or others’ sins. Although we do bring things on ourselves, and others’ actions do affect us, many times trials come upon God’s people for no apparent reason and we should not see every trial as God punishing us. And though it’s hard to ‘count it all joy’ when we fall into trials and difficulties, (James 1:2) it should help to know that it might be part of our preparation for our place in God’s Kingdom. After all, we are going to be priests and kings to the entire world one day! (Rev 1:6; 5:10) In order to be effective rulers, we must go through testing and trials to understand the world’s sufferings just as Christ did.

            One other purpose of trials is for God to show us our hidden faults, as He did with Job. It’s not easy for us to see our own self-righteousness, selfishness, vanity, etc. yet these are serious sins just as much as any other and need to be rooted out.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts and see if any wicked way is in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psa 139:23-24)

            When Job went through his many difficulties, he said, “Should we accept blessings from God and not adversity?” Job knew that so many tragedies coming all at once could not be coincidental. Although he didn’t understand why so many bad things had happened to him, he knew God was in charge and had allowed them. And God would not have allowed Satan to do so much to Job if He wasn’t quite sure Job would remain faithful to Him.

            When we go through a series of trials, one way to rejoice is to acknowledge that it is God who allows Satan to test us. Like Job, we should be fully confident that God is in charge and actually feel honored that He believes us strong enough to withstand Satan’s attacks. God uses Satan to correct, test and try us—just like He uses the wind to build strength in trees and shrubs or to knock them down if they aren’t strong enough. Satan only wishes to do evil and thinks he can undermine God’s plan. He has no idea that he is simply a tool in God’s hand and, when he is no longer useful, will be removed.

            We’re very happy to attribute all the good things in our lives to God but don’t always realize that the evil God allows, or even sends, is also for our ultimate benefit! We love to quote Romans 8:28 but must remember all things work together for good, for God’s purpose it says. When we can trust God even in the tough trials, that shows God our faith remains in him regardless of what He lets us go through. In fact, that builds the faith muscles of our lives. And in these – we can rejoice. 

It may take years to fully understand why God sent or allowed various trials, but someday we’ll understand. And in the meantime, the trials help us become what God needs us to be. For example, we’re told in Job 42:11b that Job’s family came to comfort Job for all the adversity God had brought upon Job, though God used Satan to actually do it. Even Joseph told his brothers that all the evil they had done against him was actually all in God’s plan – to eventually save many people alive (Genesis 50:18-21).  What a lesson for us too! Joseph must have often wondered why he was spending years in a dungeon. God was having his purposes accomplished and faith being built.

 Trials create strength, understanding, humility, faith, perseverance, endurance, depth, maturity, and much more (Romans 5:3-4). And we must always remember that God will let nothing bad happen to us that isn’t part of His plan. He can and does stop many bad things from happening to us—sometimes in miraculous ways—but He also allows us to experience a normal life in a world full of suffering and pain. We must experience some of what everyone else does—occasional sickness, injury, accidents, pain, sorrow—because we are part of this world. And it will help us have deep empathy for others when we reign with Christ as priests and kings. But God is always aware of what we’re going through! Every moment of our lives is in His hand and awareness. After all, he knows when every sparrow alights on the ground and has every hair on our heads numbered. (Matt 10:29-31)

            Trust God in good times and in bad. He has a purpose for all we go through, and He never sleeps nor slumbers! (Psa 121). So yes, we can and must learn to rejoice even in our trials.