The purpose of trials

By Joel Osteen

No matter how successful we are, we all face challenges, struggles, and times when things don’t go our way. When calamities occur, some people immediately think they have done something wrong, that God must surely be punishing them. They don’t understand that God has a divine purpose for every challenge that comes into our lives. He doesn’t send the problems, but sometimes He allows us to go through them.

Why is that? The Bible says temptations, trials, and difficulties must come, because if we are to strengthen our spiritual muscles and grow stronger, we must have adversities to overcome and attacks to resist. Moreover, it’s in the tough times of life that we find out what we’re really made of. The pressure exposes things that we need to deal with things such as wrong attitudes, wrong motives, areas where we’re compromising. As odd as this may seem, the trials can be beneficial.

The Scripture says, “Don’t be amazed at the fiery ordeal that’s tak­ing place to test your quality as though something strange was hap­pening.”’ Notice, the trial is intended to test your quality, to test your character, to test your faith. In other words, “Don’t think it’s a big deal when you go through these tough times.” All through life, you will face various tests, and even though you may not enjoy them, God will use those trials to refine you, to cleanse and purify you. He’s trying to shape you into the person He wants you to be. If you will learn to Co­operate with God and be quick to change and correct the areas that He brings to light, then you’ll pass that test and you will be promoted to a new level.

Tests of Faith

God often allows you, to go through situations to draw out those impurities in your character. You can rebuke until your “re­buker” wears out. You can pray, you can resist, you can bind, you can loose, you can sing and shout, you can do it all, but it’s not going to do you any good! God is more interested in changing you than He is in changing the circumstances. And the sooner you learn to cooperate with God, the sooner you’ll get out of that mess. The quicker you learn your lesson and start dealing with those bad attitudes and start ruling over your emotions, the quicker you’ll go to the next level in your spiritual journey. We must recognize the refining purpose of tri­als. We can’t run from everything that’s hard in our lives.

Recognize that God wants to do a work in you. He’s molding you and refining you. But you’re so busy trying to evade the difficulty, the work is not being done. You’re so focused on all the circumstances and all the people around you that you haven’t taken time to look deep in­side and deal with the issues God is bringing to light. Perhaps you get worried and full of fear when important things don’t go your way. Have you ever thought that God may be allowing those events to teach you to trust Him and to see if you will stay peaceful and calm in the midst of the storm? Have you considered that God may be allowing some of that to teach you how to rule over your emotions? He may be trying to toughen you up, to help you develop some backbone and stability in your life.

We often pray, “God, if You will change my circumstances, then I’ll change.” No, it works the other way around. We have to he willing to change our attitudes and deal with the issues God brings up; then God will change those circumstances. God loves you far too much to allow you to go through life in medi­ocrity. He will often permit pressure to be applied to your life, to test you, and only as you pass those tests will you advance. He will put peo­ple and circumstances in your path that grate on you like sandpaper, but He will use them to rub off your rough edges. You may not always like it; you may want to run from it, you may even resist it, but God is going to keep bringing up the issue, again and again, until you pass the test.

Work in Progress

Remember, the Bible says, “We are {God’s] workmanship.” That means we are a work in progress, not a finished product. One way or the other, God is going to get His way. Either you can learn the hard way, as I did in that traffic, and say, “Okay, God, I’ll do it Your way. I understand. I’ll be calm; I’ll be patient.” Or, you can do it the easier way: When struggles come your way, look deep inside and be quick to change. Be willing to deal with any issues that God brings up. Work with God in the refining process rather than fighting against Him.

Scripture says that God is the potter and we are the clay. Clay works best when it is pliable, malleable, and moldable. But if you are hard, crusty, and set in your ways, God will have to pound away on that old, hard clay to get out the lumps. Certainly, none of us enjoy going through struggles, but you have to understand that your struggle may be an opportunity for advancement and promotion. The very thing that you are fighting against so tena­ciously may be the springboard that catapults you to a new level of ex­cellence. Your challenges may become your greatest assets.

Perhaps your adversity was dropped in your path for a purpose. Perhaps it was put there to challenge you, to strengthen you, to sharpen you, to keep you fresh, to keep you alive and active and growing. Granted, at times, it feels as though you have a great white shark in the tank rather than a catfish, but the adversity you are facing could very well be something that God is using to push you and chal­lenge you to be your best. The trial is a test of your faith, character, and endurance. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Don’t whine and complain, saying, “God, why is all this happening to me?”

Instead, stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. God is giv­ing you an opportunity for promotion. It is the struggle that gives us the strength. Without opposition or resistance, there is no potential for progress. Without the resistance of air, an eagle can’t soar. Without the resistance of water, a ship can’t float. Without the resistance of grav­ity, you and I can’t even walk.
Yet our human tendency is to want everything easily. “God, can’t You teach me patience without having to go through the traffic jam? God, can’t You teach me how to love and trust You without ever hav­ing a problem?”

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts; there’s no easy way to mature physically, emotionally, or spiritually. You must remain determined and work with God. The Bible says, “Work out your own salvation. Salvation is more than a onetime prayer. It is constantly working with God, dealing with the issues He brings up and keeping a good attitude, fighting through until you win the victory.

God never promised that we wouldn’t have challenges. In fact, He said just the opposite. His Word says, “Be truly glad’ These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure . . . So if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.”When you go through difficult times, make sure you pass the test. Don’t be stubborn and hardheaded. Recognize that God is refining you, knocking off some of your rough edges. Stand strong arid fight the good fight of faith. God has called each of us to be champions; you are destined to win. If you will work with God and keep a good atti­tude, then no matter what comes against you, the Bible says that all things—not just the good things in life, but all things—will work to­gether for your good.