Sometimes in life you hit a patch of trials. Things just seem to come rapid fire at a speed too difficult to adjust to or handle.
As Christians we know that God is both Sovereign and Good. Therefore, nothing comes down the pike of providence that has not been vetted by divine wisdom and goodness. This brings us encouragement amid difficult seasons.
During these seasons of refining we often ask ourselves and hear our friends ask us, “How are you responding to this?” This is a good and right question. In fact, we are told by James that we are to “count it all joy…when we encounter trials of various kinds” (James 1.3). We must be reminded of God’s loving, sovereign, good purpose in the trial.
However, I want to push it a bit further. I’m afraid that, too often, I run through my “character of God filter” without running through my presence and power of God filter.
In 2 Corinthians 12 we learn that Paul was afflicted by a thorn in the flesh. This was intended by God to prevent conceit. In the midst of Paul dealing with this trial he asked God multiple times to remove it. That is, he wanted relief. The weight of this trial upon the chest of his soul was too heavy.
I don’t think that Paul had difficulty with his theology. He knew of God’s sovereign goodness to him. However, he needed to hear of God’s gracious power.
Read again what the Apostle recounts:
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12.8-9a)
Paul is reminded here of the sufficiency of the power and presence of God. In the midst of the trial(s) his soul is heavy. This is because he is found to be weak. However, in the counterintuitive world of the Christian gospel, this is exactly where God wants him to be. It’s where he needs to be. This is because when you are seen to be weak then you can begin to apprehend the beautiful sufficiency of the grace of Christ.
Trials are hard. But trials are also purposeful. Like a good headwind for a runner they produces endurance. Like a good set of 50 push-ups, they break down the muscle to make you stronger. Like a good beat-down it, well, it makes you long for peace and safety. They make you look forward, with hope, to the absence of the need for trials and discipline. They make you long for glory.
Therefore I can rejoice when God sends trials to function like a Josiah in my life to knock down the high places for idols. I rejoice because I know that God is using this trial like a power-washer to remove the pigeon poop of my sin from my life. Trials refasten my grip upon the throne of grace. They make me yearn for the coming kingdom.
In the midst of all of this, Christians, like Elijah, hear the low whisper of God’s grace amid the whirlwind. It’s here that he reminds us of the richess of gospel grace. His grace is indeed sufficient for us.
Therefore, in the midst of trials I want to know not only how to respond theologically but how God responds powerfully, that is, in the sufficiency of his grace. He is with us and for us on the various hills of difficulties. And, he is with us and for us with sufficient, powerful grace, for our good and his glory.
It is extremely refreshing and comforting to my soul to know that God not only orders my trials, but he responds to them to.