Purpose Of Trials and Suffering
- To purify our faith: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though itis tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6,7).
- To produce patience, perfection and completion in us: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
- To enable us to comfort others: “Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor.1:4).
- To test our faith: “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham’And he said ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love and go to the landof Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Gen. 22:1,2).
- To refine and test us: “Behold I have refined you but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction”(Is. 48:10).
- To produce holiness: “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness” (Heb. 12:10).
- To perfect and strengthen us: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus,after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you”. (1 Pet. 5:10)
- To make us conform to the death of Jesus Christ: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10).
- To glorify God: “Beloved do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified” (1 Pet. 4:12,13,14).
- To take us to fulfillment: “For you, O God have proved us; you have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net. You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfilment.” (Ps. 66:10-12)
(Dr. C Barnabas, Translated from True Discipleship March 1996)