How To Face Your Trial
Dear Anthem Church,
Like many of you, the Peterson family is still learning how to live the “new normal” of a world affected by COVID-19. Last year, I never imagined myself rationing toilet paper, and being told to work from home. Last summer I hoped we would get past this, and yet, here we are still having to wear masks, and to rely on Zoom. I remember the life I thought I would have today, and this is not what I imagined.
What trial are you facing this week? Maybe you’re feeling anxious about financial insecurity, family problems, or a health challenge. Maybe your plans for retirement, a vacation, or the holidays have been taken from you. Maybe you’re just tired of reading about the seeming constant stream of bad news online.
With so much going on, you may feel a heaviness of heart, or moments overcome by loneliness and grief. If you are like me, focusing on work can be a welcomed distraction as I wait for a version of normal to return to my day-to-day life. Or, maybe you prefer to hit the pause button, and will wait for the future to come, telling yourself, "Once Covid-19 ends," then I will feel happy again. Or, "Once I don’t have to wear a mask," then life will be normal again.
With so much of life being put on hold or even taken from us, how do we deal with this unwelcomed difficulty?
A verse in the Bible that I turn to in difficult times is James 1:2-3, which reads, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."[i] If you are like me, a simple reading of this text makes me feel like James wants me to enjoy COVID-19. Let’s take a moment to look more deliberately into this text because that is not what James is saying, especially when God is about life, resurrection, and joy.
James 1:2-3 helps us reframe our pain by reminding us of three truths that reshape our view of this difficulty:
(1) Face your trial. Unfortunately, unwelcomed difficulty is the norm of life. The word "trial" can be linked to the word for a pirate or a robber who is trying to steal life.[ii] This means that God expects our trials to be difficult for us and we should not avoid our feelings of sadness and disappointment. Instead, we are to name the trial for the hardship it is and lament.
How have you allowed yourself to grieve in this difficult time? If you have experienced a level of loss, then you should take a period of time to grieve. I encourage you to consider 1 of the 42 Psalms of lament in the Bible[iii] to begin to process your grief with God as you face your trial with Him.[iv]
(2) Focus on grace. Yes, we are to face our trial, but our focus should be on the gifts God has given us. The word for “joy” literally means, “grace recognized.”[v] As we recognize the unmerited favor of God, who we know is the source of all good things in our life,[vi] then we experience His joy. Moreover, in our difficulty, when we focus on what we have been given, and not on what we have lost, then we experience a joy that transcends our difficult situation.
What are the gifts you have been given this week? God does not promise an easy life, but he does promise His children to receive His good in the hard of life. Something that I tell my kids in difficult times is how we need to become a "good detective," who is in search of God's unmerited favor every day. This could be a good cup of coffee in the morning, or a meaningful conversation with your friend or a beautiful sunset. As we focus on what we have been given, then we can face our trial and move forward in the new normal of life.
(3) Step forward in faith. Recognizing God’s grace gives us the ability to keep going, and to persevere. When we see the gifts we have been given, we remember that in Christ, we already have everything we need.
What is your next step to seek the resources Christ provides for you to persevere? Important in times of difficulty is for us to acknowledge what we can control, and what we cannot control in life. While you may feel overwhelmed at times by all that you cannot do, you have the ability to respond to the difficulty you are facing right now. Take a moment to reflect on how you are responding to COVID-19 and take a small step forward by seeking the resources you have in Christ through prayer, Bible reading, and fellowship.
COVID-19 may have robbed us of a lot of good moments, but the one thing it cannot steal from us is our ability to recognize God's grace in our life. May God overwhelm you this week with the truth that our church has been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that we can not only survive but thrive and deal with this unwelcomed difficulty.
Sincerely,
Pastor Phil
[i] “James 1:2-3,” Bible Gateway, Google, accessed April 21, 2020, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james1%3A2-3&version=ESV;NIV;NLT;MSG
[ii] Nystrom, David P. James. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997.
[iii] Brown, William P. The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms, 2014, Google, accessed abstract on April 21, 2020, https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199783335.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199783335-e-001
[iv] Consider these resources on Psalms of Lament in the Bible: (1) https://www.ligonier.org/blog/way-lament/, (2) https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/dare-to-hope-in-god
[v] “Joy,” Bible Hub, Google, accessed April 21, 2020, https://biblehub.com/greek/5479.htm
[vi] “James 1:17,” Bible Gateway, accessed April 21, 2020, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+1%3A17&version=ESV