100 Days with Jesus -- Trials and Hardship

Day 39


It seems that as I go through my Bible study, I keep going back to various subjects dealing with trials and hardship. It’s interesting that there are multiple references to difficulties in life throughout scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. God spoke of it frequently and offered guidance and wisdom.

I don’t believe there has been a more challenging time in our country for several generations, since the Great Depression. Generally speaking, as a nation, we have grandparents, parents and children who have never truly dealt with financial disaster to the extent we are witnessing now. My family was not wealthy but we were not poor either. I don’t recall ever going hungry because there was no food in the house or not having a warm coat or shoes on my feet. Yet today our Christian Crisis Center is overwhelmed with requests for help and it’s not just the same people that have always relied upon public assistance. There are people who have never had to ask for help before. Life changes so quickly and I’m reminded more than ever in my entire life, that material possessions are fleeting and temporary. People that once had much are now humbled by their needs.

James 1:2-3 says ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Joy during hardship may seem like an impossible response. Hardship and trials are not fun. No one wants them and we quickly want them to go away. But every hardship draws us closer to God because we realize how fragile, dependent and incomplete we are without Him. The question I’m pondering now is, will we draw closer to God because life is more difficult or will we as a nation despise Him because life is not as good as it used to be? Look around. What do you see? I see both and I see it with more conviction and passion than ever before. But I know which path I will take. Do you?