Gift of Trials

by Danielle Wachter

“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.” (James 1:12)

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22)

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” (Jerimiah 29:12)

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Life is hard and messy.

There are moments that you cannot help but raise the question why? Why, God, is this happening? Why am I being made to go through these trials, hardships, and sufferings? I cannot begin to answer these questioning pleas, only God knows.

However, I cannot help but also think of how in Sunday school Bible lessons, we're taught that God always hears our prayers; however, God may not always answer in the way you are wanting. He will answer in ways you are needing, and also sometimes not quite expecting.

Jerimiah 29:11-12 says “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”

God does not harbor evil intentions towards you. He loves his children, and He aims to nurture and grow us. Though the evil of this world often seems too overbearing for our weak minds and bodies, it does not mean that God has turned a blind eye or a deaf ear.

When I was in middle school, I played soccer. I remember eighth grade, going into the last season of the year. Our first practice back after a long break we were told to run a mile around this path that was by our practice field. I remember not even 2 minutes into the run I needed to stop. My heart felt as though it was physically trying to claw its way out of my chest. Let me tell you, stars are not nearly as pretty when you are seeing them spinning around your head at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. That mile was rough, to say the least. I finished that cursed path and threw myself down by my water bottle where I furiously chugged it down as I tried to catch my breath. I was  surprised by how out of shape I had become in the few short months we had been off. After our “pleasant, little” run to warm us up, we continued on with drills and practice scrimmages.
When that first practice was finally over, my butt was thoroughly kicked. I knew that I would have to put in a LOT more work if I was going to get back in shape by the start of the game season. Which I did. I spent hours upon hours practicing, training, and putting my all into practices. All of which definitely paid off. My team came in second in the state that year, only behind a club team. To become stronger and in better shape for soccer, I had to work and struggle and hurt. It was grueling to get from point A to B, but like anything good, it was well worth the effort and the pain to achieve that final victory.

To me, prayers and trials are a lot like this. I pray for strength and courage. I pray to rely on God and trust in His plan for me. As much as I wish He answered prayers the way that the magic godmother in Cinderella and bippity-boppity boo you’re strong or bippity-boppity boo you are more courageous, reality doesn’t work like that. How does one become stronger if they are not given trials and moments of hardship to show their strength, to use that strength, and push through? For me, hardships and suffering are like this.

They are moments and trials that God has gifted me so that I may train and struggle and push to be stronger. For each moment of suffering that I endure, I do so with Him at my side. He is the coach on the sideline pushing you to run that mile knowing that you will come out that much stronger on the other side. I may not always understand the lesson God is teaching me, nor may I always welcome it with open arms. But ultimately, I am thankful for the God who hears my prayers and answers them in ways that, even though I may not always understand, will always have a greater purpose.

There is a plan for me to prosper and grow. He does not wish to see me fall and fail. While I am human and my failings are inevitable, God will never leave my side. He will continue to coach, love, hear and support me through all things. My trials, as terrible as they are, are gifts. They are moments of growth, and moments of love. For the times of failure, there is comfort in prayer and God’s love. In moments of triumph, there is thankfulness for the steadfast love that has helped me arrive there.

Why, God, is there such pain and suffering? Why, God, is there such evil in this world? We ask these questions and am reminded of the gift of faith, of His sacrifice, and ultimately His gift of love and eternal life. There is pain, there is suffering, there is evil that we will never be able to understand but know that this time here on earth is short and that all you can do is trust in the Lord. Pray to Him and do your best to live out His plans. To take each step forward with Him coaching you along the way until the day we leave this world of pain and hardship to join Him in heaven for eternity.

There is hope in hardship. Trials can be gifts in disguise. Your prayers are being answered and you’ve only got to continue pushing through and trusting that God will see you to the end. He knows that you will come out stronger.