TRIALS

Sunday devotional, 5/5/13

Most people know of many famous trials recently in the news.  Some of those trials will be remembered for a very long time.  But we only hear of a very few of the thousands of trials that occur.  News outlets usually focus on those that involve someone who looks good on camera, who did something that is horrible by conventional standards, and who is possibly facing the death penalty.  The media does like to sensationalize certain trials in order to gain viewership.  

Our curiosity is peaked in these cases perhaps because deep down inside we can all somehow relate to those accused defendants.  We try to "look good for the camera" eyes of others, yet inside we know we are guilty of sinfulness.  Throughout our lives we face many trials, tests of faith or adversities along our journey.  For some it may be simple hassles that face them each day.  For others it can be various tragedies that plague them throughout their lives.  Or perhaps it is a daily struggle just to survive or to not give in to temptation, and we must take it one day or hour or minute at a time to make it through to the next. 

While there may be similarities between us and those "famous" defendants on trial, there are differences too.  We have a solution to our problems.  If we understand that we are unable to conquer our trials on our own, and that we must rely on God to be with us and carry us through, then we can see these difficulties as lessons to learn things such as persistent dependence on God and faith in him.  As we mature in our faith we can even consider our trials as joyrides!

 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 NIV

We all like to "look good" on the outside, yet inside we are all imperfect.  No matter how hard we try to look good, we are all guilty of sin.  At the end of our lives the Judge will find us all guilty of the charge of being sinful.  None of us are innocent - no one can keep all of God's law perfectly.  The mandatory sentence for sinfulness is the death penalty.  But someone else stepped in for us and paid the price so that we would be set free from the punishment for our sins.  Because Jesus gave his life in our place, we are given the free gift of eternal life at the end of our earthly trials if we just remain faithful. And even remaining faithful is a gift from God!

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12 NIV

written by Jan Andersen