Why Me? Understanding God's Purpose in Our Trials

So today I want to start with looking at some biblical characters. It's going to be brief and some snippets out of their lives. Okay, Abraham and Sarah. Most people know about Abraham and Sarah.
They were in their older years, 75 and 65, when they were told by God to cross the river into a land they didn't know, leaving everything behind, their whole family. And then there's Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his own son, his only son, the son of promise. And he progressed to do that. and Isaac was also compliant.
Jacob, who was Abraham's grandson, was told by Isaac to go back across the river to Rebecca's family, which is Isaac's wife's. This was later confirmed by God. He met up with his uncle Laban. He met family, right? He called him bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Then, dear uncle Laban proceeded to use him and cheat him for 20 years. family.
Joseph was sold into servitude and later sent to prison from ages 17 to 30 roughly. And then there's one of my favorites, Job. From what Job knew, he fully followed God. God even declared him as being blameless. This righteous man in one day lost all of his children, most of his servants, and his sheep and his camels. It was a busy day.
Moses left the intrigue and busyness of Egypt and became a shepherd of his father-in-law's flock. 40 years God called him out of that to confront the ruler of that time's superpower and then lead a rebellious and complaining flock of people out of Egypt. He didn't know how long it was going to take.
Paul, who was formerly Saul, was called from a life of a persecutor to be one that was persecuted and imprisoned. Jesus said of Paul in Acts 9, "I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." What do all these have in common? Well, each of them had to inclure some sort of difficulty, challenges, affliction, or loss. sometimes for a very long time.
In short, each went through trials and tests. When we read these examples and we look at the beginning of the trial, the beginning of their lives and the results, but what happened in between, what were their emotions? What were their thoughts during these ordeals? So even though in most cases above God actually directly told them that he would be with them or he hinted at it or said it in an indirect way but still there were likely times of doubt and despair.
So I don't know about you all but I look at these and I think wow at some point I would have said why me? Why am I in this situation? What is God doing to me? And Joseph basically asked or Joseph I mean Job basically he did ask that but it took him a few chapters to get to the point. Moses phrased it as who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.
So for those of you who like titles for messages the title for this one is why me? Each of us can ask that why me? So today we'll be discussing seven reasons why we have trials and then some points to remember as we experience our own trials. Before we get into these reasons, let's let's establish some common ground or some context or baseline for the message.
And the first point that I want to bring out, the first point of context is the meaning of trial. One dictionary definition is the act of or process of testing, trying or putting to the proof. That's American Heritage Dictionary of the English language. In most Bible translations, there are at least two Greek words that are translated as trial, except sometimes they're not translated as trial.
They're translated as maybe test or even temptation, depending on how it's used. But what's common in these words and in their translations is that for us there is some suffering, some affliction, some challenge or some loss. So for the discussion for this message today, we'll treat these the same and basically call it a trial.
So the second point is that the seven reasons that we're going to cover are not exhaustive. There are more reasons for trials than we're going to cover today. Just consider this a sample of the reasons I've found myself personally to help me through my own trials. Third point is that these reasons are also not siloed. Meaning they're not independent.
You can have a trial and it can be multiple reasons even beyond what we're going to discuss today. And the last and probably the most important point is we don't have trials unless it is God's express will whether it's what he permitted or permits, prefers, or causes to occur. Meaning it's not from God's perspective, it's not really time and chance. Think about when Satan tested Job.
He had limits established by God. Paul said in 1 Corinthians, he reminds the readers that they will never be tempted or tested beyond what he reminds us as the readers that we're not going to be tested beyond what we can do, our abilities. So this last one is from God's perspective, the reasons for our trials don't include that something just happened. God always knows about them and he always controls the situation.
Okay. So, with that context, with that background, let's start with our first reason. And we'll turn to James chapter 1. Not going to give you the reason until the end of this one. But James chapter 1. And this is this is a very common scripture to talk to turn to when we're talking about trials.
Why? Because it says something rather unique. And I'm going to be reading from the uh English Standard Version most of the the message. So verse two, count it all joy. That's a surprise. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet or encounter or face trials of various kinds. Verse three, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness or patience or endurance as some translations say, "And let steadfastness have its full effect.
" In other words, let it go to the end that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. Dropping down to verse 12. Blessed. So this is what happens. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial. For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. 1 Peter 1:es 6 and 7 say something similar. I'll just read it to you.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. Any does that apply to anyone here? Anyone have a trial recently? Anyway, I'll raise my hand. Verse seven. So that the tested genuiness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Now notice in these two verses, these two scriptures that there are trials of many kinds or various trials. In other words, trials come in many forms and also for many reasons. Well, what do these trials do? They test our faith over time. They refine us and they transform us from impure to pure.
And as we all know, we're not just tested once and suddenly we have all the patience we have ever need. And we've endured a small trial. Now, it comes and go. It comes goes comes goes. But what is the final result? What is the outcome that is intended by God? Well, James says it is to be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Peter says it is the result is praise and glory and honor at Christ's return.
And again, James says the same thing in a slightly different way. Those who are steadfast will receive the crown of life. So that's the first reason. The first reason is why we have trials, why our faith is tested and purified is so that we may be perfect and complete. In other words, so we can become like God. God's intent for our trials is only for our good and is for him to be in us and us to be like him.
So this re this reason the first one is covered first because all the other reasons are derived from this as we'll see. So the second reason we have trials is that we suffer consequences of our bad choices. Anyone suffer consequences from their bad choices? I'll share one of mine in a minute. It says in Galatians 6 that we reap what we sow.
If we plant wheat, we're not going to harvest corn. This is a rather broad description though. Let's look at some spec specific examples. Okay. How many of you have ever ran out of gas? Okay, how many of you don't drive and then for can't run out of gas? But anyway, so I've done it.
You ignore the f fuel gauge and suddenly your car stops. It happened once. It's a mini trial. You run out of gas. Well, you don't get where you're going and you have to call a tow truck or family or whatever. I'm going to share mine. We We're clearing our pasture.
We have a we have a new residence and we're clearing our pasture and there's debris out there and there's some fencing that should have gone away 5 to 10 years ago. So, we're clearing it out. So, hey, you know what? I'm strong. I can pull that stuff out of the garden. I did. I did for a while out of the pasture until I got tired. But then again, I thought, you know what? I'm overly tired, but I can still go. I'll just do it a little differently.
I pulled two muscles or three muscles or four muscles pulling stuff out of the garden that I should have said, "Hey, I am done. I am finished. Go rest." Okay, that's a trial. It's still a trial. Here's one of my favorites. Bad choices by doing it my way as opposed to what? Doing it whose way? Well, King Saul did it his way.
He was given very clear instructions on what to do with the Amalachites. have no survivors and take no spoil. Saul decided that ah there's a better way to do it. I'm going to do it my way. What were his consequences? He was rejected from being king. How many times do we do it our way where we follow our hearts only to suffer the consequences? The next one is rejecting guidance especially from God.
Let's turn to Hebrews 12. Hebrews chapter 12. There's a section about how God treats us, how God disciplines us. This is actually covered in a home office Bible Bible study series in 2013. It's well worth going back and looking at it because Mr. Petty gave a very good systematic discourse on what this actually means. It's a very full meaning on the meaning of discipline as it is used here.
So we're going to read Hebrews 12:es 5 and 6. And have you not forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly or despise the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastens every son whom he receives. How does God discipline and train us? Well, sometimes it's by allowing us to experience the natural consequences of our choices when we need to learn a lesson.
How about not watching our spiritual condition? No, we we have busy lives. We can do things. We can have our priorities. We can have them listed. We can have checkboxes. Sometimes they're just checkboxes. And sometimes we skip them. Sometimes maybe the Bible study or the prayer isn't as important. And we are not watching our spiritual condition.
These things have consequences. We can drift. We can do things that we shouldn't do or not do things that we should do. Do we watch our spiritual condition? Do we are judge ourselves as we're told to do? judge ourselves truly according to God's word and his will. Well, we're to be aware of our spiritual condition, every one of us.
So, we judge ourselves so we don't have to be corrected by God in certain things. We need to be continually checking our walk. Are we following the path of life or are we following the path that leads to death? So to reiterate, the second reason why we have trials is basically that we're reaping what we've sown, God allows these consequences so that we can learn truth and discernment as opposed to the choices, the bad choices we make.
So in other words, God wants us to look at these things and to make right choices. The next three reasons, they're rather closely related, almost like different facets of the same gemstone. So the third reason we have trials is to be a lesson or an example to others, whether it's here and now or whether it's in the future when we're working with those in the kingdom.
Now, these examples that we present can either be for good or for bad. Both are needed. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 12. We'll start in verse one. Please join me there. So the previous chapter, chapter Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter for really good reason. At the beginning of Hebrews 11, there's a definition of faith that's rather academic.
But then the remainder of Hebrews 11 goes through and says, "Here is faith in action. Here's here are the examples of what faith is like. These people in Hebrews 11 were faithful regardless of the challenges, the sufferings, and the trials that they went through even to the point of death. Hebrews 12:1. Therefore, after looking at this list of those who were faithful, therefore, for this reason, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which so clings so closely, and let us run with endurance or steadfastness the race that is set before us.
You know, these witnesses, these examples that are given, they endured trials and were faithful, steadfast to the end of their race. As Mr. Lau pointed out a few weeks ago that we don't know when the end of our race is. We don't know how many laps we have. Same with them. They couldn't see their finish lines just as we can't see our finish lines. They didn't know the course. God has it laid out.
He knows the course. We don't. He didn't know what obstacle. We didn't know. They don't know what obstacles they would face or how far it was. Yet each and every one of them mentioned there finished their race. And guess what? They're a witness in a different way, too. They're a witness that they weren't perfect.
Many of their sins were written as lessons for us. But it also shows that through their various trials, they were perfected and will receive that crown of life. Verse two of Hebrews 12. This is kind of the exclamation point on this. looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, the faith that is being tested and perfected through trials, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
He is our perfect example of enduring the trials and the suffering, accomplishing all that was set before him, and now he's enthroned with God. Another thing to consider is in a sense Hebrews 11 is still expanding. That great cloud of witnesses is not full up with no more room. Many have died in the faith since Hebrews was written. They're still witnesses.
Many are still alive, and we'll talk about one in a minute. And are witnesses. I guess she's not. She passed recently, but anyway, many are still alive and are witnesses and examples to us of faithfulness and steadfastness. Now, so these examples, point three, being an example is a reason that we have trials.
These examples are to encourage us to be steadfast in our race just as our examples will encourage others. So that was three. Four, the four fourth reason we have trials is to establish credibility. This is very similar to the third reason to be an example, but it's a little more specific. How many of you maybe you don't need to show your hands, but how many of you have ever gone to somebody and you've poured your heart out to them and you're going through a trial and they say, "Yeah, whatever.
" Or you you try to commencerate with somebody who is going through a trial and they say, "Oh yeah, you wouldn't know what it's like because dot dot dot my wife and I sometimes go through that. We couldn't have kids. We wanted them." But we say, "Oh, well, you know, we're sorry that you're going through this." They say, "Oh, what do you know? You don't have kids." Like, "No, but we care about you.
" Anyway, so there's an example. I'm not going to use her name, but there's an example of one of my spiritual heroes. She is in that great cloud of witnesses for me. She grew up in the early church, the worldwide church of God. She was came in through there. She had in the church, she had an abusive husband.
He would starve her when she was pregnant cuz he didn't like the way she looked. This led to some other things. But anyway, she attempted to get a divorce. At that time, divorce was not allowed if it was initiated by the lady. Well, eventually it got around to they understood why she wanted it. They were fully behind it. And she did get a divorce.
Well, she has two sons, two daughters, and unfortunately in all these trials, it wasn't like there was one trial and it was over and one trial just continuous trials. Well, she had one son that killed the other son and she found him and she stayed with the church. She stayed with the teaching. She was steadfast to the end of her life. She is somebody who has credibility for loss. She has credibility. Let's say she talks to Eve.
She has credibility because Eve had one son that killed the other. She can talk to her with credibility. We need credibility. Let's turn a few pages back in Hebrews and this time to Hebrews 2. We'll read verses 17 and 18. We're talking about credibility. Who has the most credibility? Hebrews 2:1 17.
Therefore, he, this is meaning Christ, had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. That's credibility. Few pages forward in Hebrews 4:1 15.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Phrase it a little differently. He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was in every respect who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. These verses show Jesus credibility. He lived as a human and he experienced the trials, the sufferings that we experience in every respect.
He has not forgotten what it's like and he's there for us. For this message, I did a quick search on some of the groups that help addicts and you know sin is in a sense an addiction. Our bad habits are addictions. So, I looked at Gamblers Anonymous and uh Alcoholics Anonymous for what they consider a sponsor and I found a good explanation on sober.
com on what it takes to be a good sponsor. Sponsor. They highlight five necessary traits which are you must be sober. In other words, you've gone through it. You started at a point and you're sober now. You overcame it. You worked with a 12step program with your own sponsor. You must be humble. In other words, hey, look at me. I finished. You can't.
You must be compassionate and you must be a good listener. In other words, the sponsor must have credibility. The sponsor has endured the trial and the suffering and gain their credibility, being able to sympathize with another's weakness and be able to help them through. So, that was that was point four. We have these trials to gain credibility.
Then there's the fifth reason. We experience trials so we can learn to help others. Again, this is a maybe a broad reason, but there are a number of ways that we need to learn to learn how to help. For instance, we can experience trials so that we learn to discern how to help somebody. Do we give them a fish? The old parable, you give a fish man a fish, he'll eat for a day or teach him to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime. Do we give them a fish at that time or do we teach them to fish? Or maybe both or maybe neither.
Is giving them a fish keeping them from moving past where they are. We can experience trials so that we can be compassionate to those who are suffering. I gave a message once on how do we see how do we see the world? How do we see those not yet called? Do we remember when we had no shepherd? When we walked in darkness and when we were spiritual she slaves.
Do we realize that those times were trials for us? Do we remember that? Do we have compassion on those who are still in darkness? Let's turn to second Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 1. Of course, the author is Paul. You read of the things that he went through as sufferings and trials. He had credibility. 2 Corinthians 1:es 3 and 4.
Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort. Verse four, who comforts comforts us in our affliction. Other words, he's been he sees our affliction. He knows what we're going through.
Doesn't necessarily take it away at that time, but he comforts us through that affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction. Gets passed on comfort to comfort with a comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. So we can experience trials so that we can pass on the comfort that we received from God. We can learn how to comfort others. I'm an engineer.
So for me, comfort is fix something. Fix something. Thankfully being married has taught me that sometimes the comfort is listen, commenserate. We need to learn. I at least I needed to learn. Well, these are just a few examples of the fifth fifth reason we face trials.
So that we can learn to help others in need with willingness, not grudgingly, with discernment. How do we do it? With compassion and comfort. So the sixth reason we face trials is to learn humility and to fear God. Why? because we can't overcome with our own strength and must rely on him. Let's turn to Deuteronomy chapter 8. Now, this is an interesting chapter. Deuteronomy chapter 8.
This is just before the Israelites are going to cross the Jordan into the promised land. I think it's interesting because it is a reminder of what God has done for 40 years with the Israelites and why. And he spells it out really clearly. It's not it's not hidden.
He says exactly what he did and why he did it. Deuteronomy 8 and verse two. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Or in other words, learning obedience through suffering.
Just as as an aside here, talked earlier about Moses called out. He was father-in-law's shepherd and had a sheep. He was going to take Israel out of the Egypt and into the promised land, which if you go direct, it's 11 days. If you take a circuitous route, it's I don't know, maybe 6 weeks. 40 years. That was Moses' trial. He definitely had a trial in that. He was not counting on 40 years. Verse three.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with mana, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that a man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Verse four, your clothing did not wear out on you, and your foot did not swell these 40 years. That's amazing. Verse 5, know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So these trials, this discipline was to give them a proper relationship with God. They were not in a proper relationship with God. God wanted to guide them into a proper relationship with him.
These trials reminded them of their commitment that they had committed to his way. their part their part in their covenant all that you say I will do as well as reinforce what God promised that was then what about us now it's it's the same we can experience trials because we've stopped striving for humility and righteousness we're not right in our relationship with God if we don't have that right relationship in other words we don't take the faith we we don't have that faithful commitment and endurance, then God will discipline us in terms of guiding us
back into what he wants. And it's always for our good. So that was number six. The seventh reason that we go through trials, it's time for us to level up. What do I mean by that? Okay, how many of you will admit to playing video games? And nobody admits. Okay, fine. Okay, video games, you play a game, you level up. I play Color Block Jam.
Okay, I'll admit that. I like to go to the next level. It's not an easy thing sometimes, but you level up. Some of the more advanced games, the role playing games, you have to acquire things. You have to acquire your health or your uh fighting skills or whatever, and then you get to level up.
Well, what about us? Do we ever get need to level up or do God like us just where we are? Yeah. Let's turn to Job. Let's turn to the end of Job chapter 42. So in Job 1:1, we're going still going to go to 42, but in Job 1:1, we're introduced to Job as a man who was blameless and upright, who feared God and avoided evil. I would like that as a description of me.
But he was not where God wanted him to be. So what did God do? Well, he brings Job to the adversar's attention. Says to Satan, "Look, hey, have you seen my servant Job?" Well, what happens? Satan is allowed to test Job within limits. God set definite boundaries on what Satan could and could not do.
What happens? Well, Job is beset with serious trials. I would say they're serious trials. Lost all of his children, most of his servants, his house, I think his house, all of his livestock. He lost everything in a day. That's a serious trial. Then he has a set of serious trials with his friends who are trying to tell him it's all his fault.
It's his doing and it's his responsibility for everything that came to him with friends like that. Okay. Well, then what happens? Well, Job goes through and he tries to show God that he didn't deserve these trials. He says, "Look, it's not my fault. I am blameless." He told God that I am blameless. It's your fault. This is unjust on your behalf.
God, you're unjust. That's what he said. Eli El Eli who actually summed it up. He justifies himself rather than God. Well, then Job after Eli who talks to him basically tells him as a intro what's going to happen. Job is schooled on who and what God really is. What do I mean by that? Okay, it says God talked to Job out of a whirlwind, which can be translated a storm or a hurricane.
How many of you have been talked to out of a hurricane by God? Okay, we can say, "Okay, we can watch it. We can have the the special effects on the TV and it's a TV and we can watch it and say, "Oh, well, that'd be cool." But Job wasn't watching it on a TV or on a screen. He was there in person in a storm with the voice of God saying, "Hey, answer me.
Who are you? Who are you that is darkening counsel without knowledge? Tell me. Tell me where you were when I created the world. Who are you to tell me I'm wrong and you're right?" Job was schooled. It was not a gentle discipline. But what happened? Job eventually realized that his understanding of God was incomplete.
Let's look at that last point in more detail. Job 42. Read the first six verses. So God has spoken to him. 38 39 40 41 God has spoken to him. Now Job answers. Then Job answered the Lord and said,"I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Verse three starts off with, "Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?" This is actually the quote of what God said to Job.
So Job saying, "Okay, you said this. Here's my answer. Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know. Verse four, again he's quoting God. God says this twice in chapter 38 and chapter 40. Hear and I will speak. God saying this, I will question you and you will make it known to me. In other words, you need to answer me on this.
Job's answer is,"I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." In other words, Job had a why me. Now he has a now I see what was going on moment. And what does he do? Verse six, therefore I despise myself. Or in other words, he's saying I'm taking it all back.
I was wrong and I repent in dust and ashes. Well, what happened? What happened here? Job had an understanding of God that was incomplete. God provided a means for him to know to increase his understanding in his knowledge of who and what God was and also who and what he wasn't. There's a quote from a movie uh called Rudy when main character goes to a priest and he's asking for some religious advice and the the priest starts out by saying in 50 years of religious theological study I've come to two inescapable conclusions. God exists
and I'm not him. Job here realized he wasn't God and not close. So what happened? Job leveled up. He can now see more clearly who and what God was and what God expected of him. And he realized he needed to change and he did so. He repented. So how many of our trials are at least in part because God wants us to go further in our relationship with him to have a deeper understanding of who God is, who we are, and what God is trying to do with us.
Maybe we become too comfortable with the way things are and God needs to make things uncomfortable for us so that we'll grow. How many of you have seen an eagle cam where they have an eagle trained on a eagle's I mean a camera trained on an eagle's nest and you watch the eggs laid and you watch the parents take care of it and eventually they hatch and fly off.
Well, one of the things that was really interesting about the eagles, and I hadn't known this before, my wife was watching the the eagle cam a lot. We had one that was a few miles from where we were in Colorado. So, to prep for the eagles, the the the eggs to hatch, the the eagles will collect all these soft things like moss and feathers and and all that, and they will pad the nest.
Because if you look at the nest, it is spiky. It's It's so spiky. You You wouldn't want to You definitely wouldn't want to sit down on it. It's It's uncomfortable. So, but they take these things and they pad the nest. They make it nice and comfy and they lay their eggs and then the eggs are hatched and the the eiglets have a nice place comfortable place where they can be.
But as they approach their fledging time, when they're actually supposed to fly out of the nest, the parents start taking this soft stuff out of the nest, and it becomes less and less comfortable for the new eagles to be in that nest. And eventually, it's so uncomfortable they fly away.
Well, how much does God do that? Okay, you're in a nice comfy place here. Okay, you're you're resting, but now it's time. We need you to move on. Does God how what does God need to do to defeather our nest? So we covered seven reasons. Seven reasons of why sometimes we ask why me? Why is this my trial? Let's summarize. Why? So that we come become like God. That's God's intent. It's his purpose. He is reproducing himself.
We are to be his children. Second reason, it's so we can learn to make better choices. Third reason, so that we can remember that we need to be a good example to others and God's making us as examples to others. Number four, to build credibility both in this life and in the future. Five, to learn to help others. That's why why do we have trials? to learn to help others.
Sixth point, it's to learn humility and to fear God to realize that we cannot do it alone and to rely on him. And the seventh reason, sometimes it's just time for us to level up. As we conclude, what are the takeaways from this? I learned this from a minister few years ago.
He liked takeaways, specific points at the end to take home with you. So, we have I think it's six takeaways. So, six takeaways. What do we want to take home with us? Well, it seems like when we turn to James 1 in discussing trials, and it happens frequently, and how to face them, we read verses 2-4 and we stop. But verse 5 gives us instructions on what we should do when we're going through these trials.
It says, "Ask for wisdom." When we're facing a trial, we need wisdom when our faith is tested so that we can know what to do and what not to do and ask with a heart and a mind to listen. Second takeaway, examine ourselves. We're going through a trial. We do need to sometimes say, why are we going through this trial? Ask for God's help in doing so.
It's very similar to the first point, but ask God to reveal what he intends and don't dismiss the answer regardless of how he responds. The third takeaway is don't test God by saying, "Is the Lord with me or not?" or by telling God that he's in the wrong. God's always with us every step of the way.
Fourth takeaway, don't be discouraged by how long a trial may last or the intensity of the challenge. Just as God is fully aware of our trials, he's fully in control of how long they last and how hard they are. There will never there will never be longer than what is needed for God's purpose. Fifth takeaway, don't be deceived into believing that the absence of trials will bring peace.
Jesus told us that in him we're going to have peace, but he also at the same time told us at the same time we're going to have trials and troubles and tribulations in the world. We can and should have peace in and with God while we're going through trials. And the fifth and last takeaway, keep your head and your heart on the results of trials and the testing of your faith.
It's that crown of life and everything that goes with this. Now, don't give up. Don't sell your birthright for a bowl of soup. Giving up doesn't solve it. So, one last verse and I'll read it to you. This is from 2 Corinthians 4 16-18 and it's from the New International Version. I think it kind of sums it up. Verse 16.
Therefore, we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, what we're going to have far outweighs the trials we're going through now.
So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. Since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. As we go through these trials, remember they are temporary, but they're leading to an eternal reward.