Nothing gets our attention more powerfully or more rapidly than when God disturbs our comfort zone. C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures. He speaks to us in our conscience but He shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” I think most members of Christchurch would admit that lately God has been shouting to us. I want to speak to the membership with forthrightness and clarity. We have been in a financial situation that we believed time would bring back to normalcy. The announcement of the restructuring of our church staff may have come to some of you as an out of the blue surprise, but it did not come out of the blue for our staff. In staff meetings we have let our people know where we are. We warned that in the worst- case scenario it could become even more difficult to handle than it has so far. Case in point: if we were to continue in the same mode of business that we have conducted so far, there could come a time that staff positions are discontinued without any severance. As it is now, we as a church have provided our brothers a severance package. To the best of our ability we have been fair and honest with our employees. We are certain this is a test ordered by God, not by man. Our response will determine if we pass or fail. I appreciate what my old friend from Georgia, Sammy Allen said years ago, “Be careful to pass the tests God gives you or you will have to repeat the grade.” Allow me to share with you seven biblical ways to confront trials.
1. Welcome God’s trial.
The Bible says, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (I Peter 4:12, 13).
When Job’s wife challenged him to end the trial by the coward’s way out, he replied with great faith in understanding that we welcome whatever God brings into our path. "Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips" (Job 2:9,10).
2. Worship the Lord.
Job’s first response upon hearing of the extreme crisis of his life was to worship. "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped" (Job 1:20). God is always near His children, but especially when they are hurting. That’s why the Bible says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).
3. Loosen our grip.
Sometimes we hold the things of this earth far too tightly. A trial will help us lighten the load by taking away what is near and dear to us, so that in all things HE might have preeminence. I appreciate these ancient words of Augustine, "God wants to give us something, but cannot, because our hands are full—there’s nowhere for Him to put it."
4. Become and remain joyful.
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1:2). "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).
It is not difficult to praise God on the mountaintop, but it takes character to give Him praise in the valley. Remember He is a God of the low times and the high times. The promise land was a diverse terrain, so also is the Christian experience! "But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven" (Deuteronomy 11:11).
Rejoicing is not a suggestion; it is a command.
5. Be attentive to God’s voice.
What is God saying to His church? What is God saying to our family? What is God saying to me? We need to take Mary’s attitude, "His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it" (John 2:5). This is to use Lewis’ term, God “shouting” His message out.
"Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you" (Proverbs 1:20-23.)
Trials have a tendency to clear the line of communication between God and us. The static and interference is gone. "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:23).
6. Stay faithful as God finishes His design.
My mind often goes back to my childhood to salvage practical illustrations of Scriptural concepts. For instance, did you ever see your mom busy in the kitchen, as they would say today “multi-tasking”? And did you ever with cheerfulness volunteer to do anything she wanted? Then Mom says, “Why, thank you, Sweetie. You may come over here and stir this for me.” So you stir, stir, and stir until you’re nearly “stir crazy”. You ask, “When can I stop?” She says, “Just stay there until the job is done!” “Yes, ma’am, but how much longer?” “Son,” she says, “I’ll tell you!”
Sometimes it is the daily routine of doing the right thing that God uses to pull us out of our trial. It may seem boring, it may seem unproductive, but faithfulness will be rewarded. “…A faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6). Let us be like our Lord…He was a finisher! Our Lord finished the job in the greatest crisis of all, the cross. He looked beyond the pain to the gain. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
- Pastor Pope -