Trials Will Come

The widow in 2 Kings 4:1–7 finds herself in a very serious crisis. She is a servant of God. She has served the Lord all her life alongside her husband, a servant of God. In our day, we would say that he was a pastor, an evangelist, or someone who worked full-time in ministry.

This man has just died, leaving debts behind. Now the creditors are coming; they are coming to take her two sons away to work as slaves until they pay everything they owe. They are going to leave her destitute and in even greater poverty than she was already experiencing. This is a situation of great crisis for this godly family.

The first lesson I draw from this passage lies precisely in the dire situation in which this servant of God finds herself.

Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that if we serve the Lord faithfully, behave well, and obey the Word, God will protect us from every affliction. (‘I am not going to have problems, and if I do, they will be minor. I am not going to have financial difficulties or any of the ordinary illnesses that afflict other people.’) And unfortunately, there are many superficial preachers today who are willing to encourage us in that mistaken idea.

I believe in prosperity. I absolutely believe in blessing for the children of God, and that is precisely why I am writing this series of meditations. But it is also important for us to understand that trials and difficulties can also come upon the children of God.

The apostle Peter warns his readers: ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you’ (1 Peter 4:12).

The Bible warns us time and again that we must be prepared when afflictions come into our lives. I believe there is nothing wrong with telling God’s people: ‘We live in a fallen world, a dangerous world. There will be difficulties.’

And Christ himself said it in his memorable words: ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation.’ Thank God he did not stop there with that negative diagnosis, but also said: ‘But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’

But sometimes we do not dwell long enough on the words ‘ye shall have tribulation,’ and we quickly move on to the positive part of his statement. We are like little children who lick off the jam without eating the bread, and then give the bread back to our mother so she can put more jam on it. Sometimes we have to meditate on the somber side of life, on the inevitable conditions we encounter in this fallen world.

The important thing is not to ask ourselves whether trials will come. It is more productive to ask ourselves: When trials come, how are we to confront them? Some people become depressed, let their arms fall, and grow angry with God. They stop praying, going to church, and growing in the Lord. Others rise, gird up their loins, cry out to the Lord, and launch into a search for the blessing and remedy God has for their situation. We, the children of God, do not remain fallen; we rise again.

The apostle Paul counsels us that when the evil day comes, we should put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). He calls us to stand firm and, having done all, to remain standing still.

There are times in life when trials and difficulties come, and the only thing one can do is plant both feet firmly on the word of God and resist in the name of the Lord until the gale passes—confessing and expecting blessing, waiting on the Lord, waging spiritual warfare, crying out to God, and confessing the Word of God.

Trials are going to come. It is inevitable. Difficulties come into the lives of God’s children, but the question is: What am I going to do when those trials come? Am I going to remain fallen, or am I going to open my box of resources, with the medicines and weapons God gives me to keep moving forward?

When trials come, we will say: ‘In the name of the Lord, I am going to overcome them.’ No matter what, keep moving forward! If we persevere in the evil day, sooner or later the trial will end and victory will come. God has a wonderful purpose for your life. If you trust in his mysterious ways, instead of destroying you, the trial will prove to be God’s instrument for your blessing and growth.