Hey there, friend. I get it. When you’re smack dab in the middle of a really tough time, the idea that “How can trials be a blessing?” might sound, well, a little crazy. The anxiety, the worry, the fear, the sheer exhaustion – those feelings are absolutely, 100% valid. Believe me, I’ve been there. Being tested by the Lord isn’t supposed to be easy. In fact, this very life, with all its ups and downs, is a test, because as the scriptures remind us, it’s in the “trial of our faith [that] worketh patience.”
Sometimes, when challenges from the Lord pile up, it’s easy to feel like maybe He doesn’t care about us anymore. We might even think, “If God truly loves me, wouldn’t He just want me to be happy all the time?” But what if, just what if, it’s actually in those very trials that we feel God’s love most profoundly?
We’re Sent To This Earth To Experience Life To Its Fullest
Have you ever really stopped to wonder about the grand purpose of life on Earth, and what role these trials play in that big picture? It’s a question many of us ponder, especially when things get tough.
Think of it like this: Our Father in Heaven, like the most loving parent imaginable, sent us here to grow. And growth, real, lasting growth, often happens through testing. It’s a bit like building physical muscles, right? To get stronger, our muscles need to experience effort that feels unfamiliar, even challenging. You can’t learn to lift a 20-pound dumbbell if you only ever use 10-pound ones. The more we push ourselves, the more we’re truly capable of lifting bigger things. Trials can be exactly like that for our souls. They stretch us, expand us, and ultimately, make us stronger than we ever thought possible.
5 Ways Trials Are A Blessing
So, let’s dive into some of the incredible ways these tough times can actually become profound blessings in our lives:
1. Trials Teach Us Patience
This is a big one. Learning how to be patient in trials isn’t just about waiting; it’s about learning how to follow the Lord’s will. When we’re forced to wait, to trust, to surrender our timeline to His, we develop a deep reliance on Him. It’s in those moments of forced stillness that we learn the profound truth that His timing is perfect, even when ours feels completely off. This patience isn’t passive; it’s an active, trust-filled waiting.
2. Trials Help Us Draw Closer to The Lord
When we find ourselves with nowhere else to turn, truly, deeply relying on the Lord, something miraculous happens. We find incredible peace and comfort. We begin to understand, on a level we might not have before, that He is truly there. He hears us. He sees us. And He will help us. This deep reliance helps us feel His presence, His love, and in turn, we naturally draw closer to Him. It’s a connection forged in fire, and it’s unbreakable.
3. Trials Help Us Come Back to the Lord
Sometimes, yes, trials can arise from our own mistakes, our poor decisions, or times when we’ve drifted a little too far from the path. But like a loving parent, the Lord wants us to learn. He wants us to come home. And through these experiences, our “soul hungers” for the companionship of the Lord. These trials can be a gentle, loving invitation to return to Him, to repent, and to feel the incredible joy and peace that comes from being back in His embrace.
4. Trials Help Us Understand Others Personally
We are all here to help and uplift one another. When we go through something incredibly difficult, our ability to truly say “I understand you” to another person is profoundly deepened. We can empathize, not just intellectually, but from a place of shared experience. We feel what they feel, because we’ve walked a similar path. This makes us more compassionate, more effective, and more Christlike in our interactions with everyone around us.
5. Trials Teach Us Gratitude
It might sound counterintuitive, but in every opposition, every challenge, we can be taught gratitude. Even in the hardest times, when everything feels like it’s falling apart, we can learn to appreciate the small mercies, the unexpected blessings, and most importantly, the unwavering love of God. When we make it through a trial, we often look back and see how much we grew, how much we learned, and how much we were sustained, and for that, we can be eternally grateful. This deep gratitude helps trials grow our faith.
There Is Hope In The Lord
My dear friend, please know this: no matter what you’re facing, no matter how heavy your burdens feel, there is always hope in the Lord. He is mighty to save, and His love for you is infinite. He doesn’t just walk with you through the trials; He walks ahead of you, preparing the way, and He walks behind you, catching you if you stumble.
If you want to know more about how to find faith during times of trials, send us a message. We’d love to chat more.
