Key scripture- “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Do you know that trials show you the strength or weakness of your faith?

If your faith is strong, you can go through the severest trial imaginable and you will continue to trust God, believe that God is on the throne and in control, that God will keep His promises, that God never makes mistakes, that God always fulfills His word, that God is always with You, that God is good, that you will see the goodness of God here on earth, and that God will accomplish His purposes. But if your faith is weak, you will bail out in the middle of the trial, and curse God or walk away from God or deny God or ignore God.

If you are going through a severe trial right now, then it is showing you the strength or weakness of your faith. If you are saying, “God, why did you do this to me? Why did you let this happen?” If you are irate, angry, upset, bitter, full of anxiety, shaking your fist at God, fretting all the time and worrying, and anxious from morning till night, then that is a good indication that you have a weak faith.

If on the other hand, if you are going through a trial, and you are saying, “Thank you Lord, for what you are accomplishing in me through this trial. Help me to give you glory, and to keep my eyes focused on You.” If you are resting in the Lord; if you have given your burden to God, and you are letting Him bear the burden of your trial; and you continue rejoicing as best you can in a difficult situation as you wait for God to show you the way out, then you are seeing for yourself that you possess a strong faith and an understanding that this trial will make it even stronger.

We should all be thankful for trials, because they assist us in evaluating our faith, they help us know where we are on the faith quotient, and that is very helpful because we always need to know where our faith is so that it can keep getting stronger, because the stronger your faith is, the more you please God.

Your trial is also helping you develop enduring strength for greater usefulness. Thomas Menton said, “While all things are quite and comfortable we live by sense rather than faith. But the worth of a soldier is never known in times of peace.” That’s right, you are a soldier in a spiritual battle and your worth as a soldier will never be known in times of peace. That is why trials come along, because they develop in us enduring strength so that we can be used in greater ways for God.

For example, as you go through one trial, your spiritual muscles are exercised which makes you stronger for the next one. That means you can face a greater foe and you are more useful to God. So when you go through another trial, and another trial, and another trial, each one of them is strengthening you and increasing your usefulness, and the more useful you are the more you are used by God, and the more you are used, the more you accomplish in the power of the Spirit for the glory of God.

Trials also show you if there is anything in your life that is dearer to you than God, and if there is, then he has to have it. God has got to remove the idols from your life. In Deuteronomy Chapter 13, Verse 3, it says “For the Lord your God,” look at this, “tests you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (V.3). Wow, do you see that, the Lord is testing you to see who you really love, whether you love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength or if you love something or someone else more than Him. (Matthew 22:37).

As believers we need to hold fast to our faith as we go through a trial. If no trial or tribulation can destroy our trust in God, then we show ourselves to have strong, living, saving faith. Therefore, the way to go through trials victoriously is with a joyous attitude; an understanding mind, which is, you understand why you are going through the trial and the purpose in it; a submissive will, which is, accepting that it is from the Lord, and learning what He wants you to learn from it; a believing heart that never wavers in faith; and a humble spirit that trusts in The Lord.

We all need to start rejoicing in our trials because God is at work. Are you ready to say, “Father, I do count it all joy as I go through this trial because it is being used to strengthen my faith, and to show that I love You and only You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.”

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I want a heart that always believes that there is a purpose for every trial and that You will supply everything that I need for the trial that I am going through. Give me the strength and the wisdom to persevere through trials with a joyous attitude, an understanding mind, a submissive will, a believing heart, and a humble spirit. I want to always walk with You, honor You, keep Your commandments, obey Your voice, serve You and hold fast to You. (Deuteronomy 13:4). Father, I do count it a privilege to have my faith tested, because I know in the testing of my faith I will be drawn closer to Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I long for intimacy and a relationship of dependence on You, and I know I will experience that as a result of the trials in my life. My trials are actually a welcome friend because through them I experience more of the knowledge of God and I get closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.