When Trials Bring Distress
In central Kentucky we had a perfect summer this year. The farmers had bumper crops and the grass didn’t turn brown in August and September from lack of rain.
Consequently, as fall approached, most people expected a perfect fall, with brilliant foliage. After all, the trees received plenty of rain through the summer, and were full of leaves to turn brilliant colors.
But that isn’t the way it worked out. Leaves have been slow to turn and the colors have not been bright. Dull red-browns and dull golden-yellows—with brown spots—have been the norm, along with many leaves turning brown and falling early. Trees with bright color are rare.
Hope remained that maybe the first frost or the first freeze would bring out the color. But we still haven’t seen much color.
Perfect Summer conditions have not led to perfect Autumn display.
On the other hand, several years ago, we suffered a drought during the summer. Crops were distressed, fields withered, and grass turned brown from lack of moisture. We had a very dry summer, and we anticipated a very dull fall.
We finally received much needed rain just as the leaves began to turn. In response, breathtaking color popped out as if buckets of paint were splashed across the hills.
This is far from a scientific study of the elements that are needed to make a beautiful show of autumn color, but it is applicable elsewhere.
We tend to expect that when life is easy and everything seems perfect, that it will remain perfect. We believe life is best when it is easy and free of challenges.
I say we believe it because we work so hard to shield our children from hardships in life. We attempt to make their life pain free and problem free. We also seem to think they should have all the things we didn’t have when we were children.
Furthermore, we’re often not content unless our needs and comforts are met and we can do what we want.
Why? Hard times are a part of life. Everybody faces challenges. Why do we work so hard to have an easy life?
Most of us already know that we learn, grow, and are strengthened through hardship, not through ease. We shine because of what we experienced during hot, dry, difficult seasons, not from the times of abundant rain and we lack of struggles.
But the wise embrace trials when they come rather than gripe and complain. During trials, we are tested and strengthened in our faith.
Peter said, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Pe 1:6-7).
Trials lead to greater faith, which is more precious than gold.
Endure without complaint during trials? Nay. Embracing the challenge without complaint helps, but Peter said we are to greatly rejoice.
Why? Because through our embracing the trial and rejoicing, Jesus Christ is revealed, resulting in praise glory, and honor to Him.
It also makes life much more pleasant for us and for those around us.
What do you do to find strength and endurance through trials? Have you been able to rejoice when distressed by trials?
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