One reality that all of us understand and have experienced is that life can be very difficult. In life, we encounter so many different kinds of trials. In Job 14:1, the Bible says, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Job states two things about life that we know to be accurate. First, life is short; oftentimes, in many tragic situations, we feel that life is too short. Second, while there are certainly many good things that we experience in life, at times, life is full of trouble, turmoil, difficulty, and heartache.
The trials that we endure cause us to struggle in many different ways, perhaps on a daily basis. There are many people who struggle with physical trials, such as being diagnosed with a disease and undergoing strenuous treatment or dealing with a disability or serious health problem that hinders daily life. This makes us think about Mephibosheth, who was lame in both of his feet (2 Samuel 9:3) or Job, who “had painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (Job 2:7).
Maybe you are not the one who suffers directly from physical trials; perhaps, you suffer indirectly from them by having to watch someone you love persevere through them. This reminds us of the Shunammite woman, who held her only son, who was sick, in her lap until he died (2 Kings 4:20) or the centurion, who watched his servant get sicker and sicker until he decided to go and seek Jesus’ help (Luke 7:2).
There are also a lot of people who struggle with emotional and psychological trials, such as stress, worry, anxiety, depression, guilt, remorse, and grief. These kinds of hardships can also be seen in the Bible. They can be seen in the grief that David felt at the death of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33). They can be seen in Elijah, as he ran from Jezebel’s threat to kill him and went by himself into the wilderness of Judah; out of great sorrow, worry, and depression, he asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:1-4).
When we think about the trials of life and how they affect us, there are many people who suffer spiritually as well. It is easy to have feelings that do not necessarily reflect reality. Sometimes, as we encounter trials, we can feel as if God has forgotten us (Psalm 13:1). Sometimes, we can question where God is in the midst of our trouble (Psalm 10:1). Sometimes, we ask the same question that Gideon asked in Judges 6:13 when he thought about how Israel was being oppressed by the Midianites: “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” Doubt quickly occupies the heart. People can quickly fall away from God during such times.
As people, we all encounter the same problem: trials. Today, we are beginning a series of bulletin articles entitled “Triumphing Trials.” In this series, our goal is not to make sense of our trials, as if that were even possible. Throughout this series, I want us to explore what the Bible says about working through and overcoming the various trials that we face in life. As we have seen in this article, Biblical characters suffered; Jesus Christ Himself is the ultimate example of a righteous sufferer (1 Peter 2:21; 3:18; 4:1, 13). How can we overcome the trials that break our hearts, tear apart our families, and cause tears to run down our cheeks? Throughout the next few weeks, we will turn to the word of God to answer that question.
-Tyler Alverson
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