Painful Trials

Trials are a necessary part of the Christian life. What should we keep in mind when we are going through the pain and stress of a difficult trial?

One of the things that make a trial so difficult to deal with is the pain it causes. The pain of a severe trial can be physically and emotionally debilitating. We just want the pain to stop! The reality is that painful trials are a necessary part of a Christian’s life.

The faith chapter

The faithful men and women of the faith chapter (Hebrews 11) experienced many grievous and intensely difficult trials. Some were even tortured to death by wicked men using various excruciating methods. Yet they refused to renounce their faith (Hebrews 11:35-40)!

These accounts are written to teach us lessons: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). God wants us to study and meditate on the lives of these faithful servants. He wants us to be fully convinced that He will give us the faith to withstand the painful trials of life, just as those who came before us!

A painful trial, or a series of them, can erode our faith in God—but only if we allow it to! Even if we feel like we are facing the trial alone, we have to continually remember that God sees and promises to stay with us—if we stay close to Him.

A gracious and compassionate God

Have you ever experienced a painful trial that caused your faith to waver, with thoughts of turning back flashing in your mind? Sometimes you might have an idea why God allowed the trial. And sometimes you have no idea.

After humbling yourself through much fasting and prayer, you found yourself making progress. But the pain was still there! Perhaps just as you felt like you were about to fall off that proverbial cliff, God mercifully ended the trial (Psalm 112:4).

A compassionate act

In Luke 7 we find an encouraging example of Jesus Christ’s compassion on those dealing with trials. Jesus Christ was entering the city of Nain. At the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. This man happened to be the only son of a widow. Christ saw the weeping widow and had compassion. Touching the coffin, “He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother” (verses 14-15).

This was surely an intensely painful trial this widow experienced. There are few things more heartbreaking for a parent than losing an only child. Christ saw this mourning woman and was immediately filled with compassion. Psalm 111:4 proclaims, “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.”

Trials that test our faith

God often tests our faith through trials. Entrance into the Kingdom of God comes only through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). God has to know how we react to the trials and tribulations of life. Will we stay faithful to Him?

Despite the suffering we face in trials, we must remember that nothing can separate us from God—if we remain faithful to Him. “Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? … Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:35-39, Contemporary English Version).

God cares for us

God cares for us even more than our human families care for us. He doesn’t want us to be consumed with worry. Family and close friends can care for and comfort us when we are under duress from a trial. However, God’s care and comfort far exceeds that of any human being. He knows what we need, when we need it, and gives it in the right measure. The words of Psalm 94:19 are profound and encouraging: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.”

Trials may leave you emotionally wounded. But the faith of Jesus Christ will instill in you the mental fortitude to help you endure while God is molding and refining you. Our loving and merciful Father will heal your wounds and leave you more faithful than you were before any painful trial!

For more insight into dealing with the trials of life, read “Learning Our Way Through Trials.”

Leon Leonard is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association's Cleveland, Ohio, congregation. He is an entrepreneur and writer. Leon and his wife, Annette, celebrated 40 years of marriage in October 2013.