Our trust in God will always be tested through trials, problems, tribulations, and sufferings. The test, however, is not to evaluate us like in a paper-pencil test or a driving test. The purpose of which is to purify our souls to attain higher level of consciousness and spirituality. Most of the times we don’t understand the events in our lives because we are focused only on the trials and we do not see the big picture. There goes the saying, “we couldn’t see the forest for the trees.”
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE TESTED?
It is not an easy feeling when we go through a test. It is painful to be tested (I Pt. 2:19). However, it is normal and meant to be painful. If it is not, then it will not work as it should. C.S. Lewis said that God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. The Bible calls it “labor pains” like a pain of a woman who is giving birth to a child. I cannot honestly say that I understand how it feels because I have never experienced that ☺ . But every mother knows how painful it is. However, that pain is part of the joy associated on being a mother. They are both ends of the same stick. Apostle Paul describe his test as crushing, overwhelming and scary (II Cor. 1:8) Most of us also have been in those situations. Who will not be scared when you received a bad diagnosis from your doctor? Who will not be overwhelmed when bills are coming one after another? Who will not be scared when you will be losing someone you loved the most? You thought you are ready but the truth is you will never be ready. Test also brings distress and sufferings. But they are there for a reason. They are necessary for the advancement of our consciousness and spirituality. You cannot plant flowers on marble slabs, only in the muds.
EVERYTHING WORKS FOR OUR OWN GOOD
We do not understand our sufferings. We try to understand and we think that if we would, it will lessen the pain. But we are wrong. First of all, we cannot possibly understand our sufferings. Second of all, even if we understood, that will not any anyway lessen the pain. Apostle Paul said “we don’t understand why things happen.” The truth is the more we try to understand, the more it pains us. But there is good news. Apostle Paul said the following:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[b] have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)
Trials definitely don’t taste good. But eventually you will see how good it is. It is like cooking adobo. What are the components of Adobo? Onions, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken, pork. None of them taste good by itself before you cook it. But when they are mixed together and after it has gone through the fire, you will have a great dinner.
There is a seed of greatness in every adversity. It is true in our own history. It is also true in the history of the world. Every great nation was born through trials and adversities. One of the darkest moment in the history of the United States is the Civil War. If you went to Gettysburg where President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address, there is a valley which is called the “Valley of Death,” where hundreds of thousands of young Americans died. The place is very silent and serene now, but in the silence you can still hear the agony of death. You cannot write in books the pain they went through. You cannot paint it on a canvass because it cannot be described nor told. But that event helped to the abolition of slavery and racial discrimination. After the civil war, United States has become a great nation. Everything works for our own good.
JOSEPH’S SERIES OF “UNFORTUNATE EVENTS” WAS FOR HIS OWN GOOD AND FOR OTHER PEOPLE
Joseph’s life was a archetype of “blessings in disguise.” He was his dad’s favorite. But his brothers were envious of him. So they decided to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders whom in turn sold him as slave in Egypt (Acts 7:9) In Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar, one of the king’s official. Joseph became the trusted person in the house of Potiphar. However, Potiphar’s wife seduced Joseph. The latter refused and he was falsely accused of rape Then he was thrown to prison. He had two inmates who had dreams. Joseph interpreted their dreams. After three days, the baker was hanged and the cupbearer was reinstated in his duty in the palace. Joseph told the cupbearer to remember him and mention about him to the kind. He was forgotten. He stayed in prison for another two years. Only when the Pharaoh had dreams that no one could interpret, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. He was summoned to the palace and sure enough Joseph interpreted the dreams. To cut the long story short, he became the most powerful man in Egypt, next only to the king. When Joseph and his brothers finally met, he told them “do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people's lives “(Gen 45:5)
Wow! It’s a series of “not-so-good-things” but for the good of God’s people.
WHY ADVERSITIES ARE GOOD
We don’t pray for adversities and trials in life. We will never ask for that. Nevertheless, it was good because in the midst of adversities we will see our powerlessness (II Cor. 9:10). The most dangerous moments in our lives are the moments that we thought we are powerful and invincible because that leads to arrogance. It feeds the ego but it starves the soul. On the other hand, brokenness and powerlessness lead to surrender and humility which pave for a deeper relationship with God.In the midst of our suffering, we should always remember the Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue. They don’t stop. Our heart will stop beating but God’s love continues.!