Trials
Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the
disciples, and exhorting
them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through
much tribulation enter
into the kingdom of God.
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise
and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you, as though
some strange thing happened
unto you:
The trying of your faith
worketh patience.
But let patience have
her perfect work, that ye
may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing.
James 1:3, 4.
The Upward Look PG 321
To the angels, the course
followed by human beings
seems strangely inconsistent.
They see how plainly degradation
is revealed on the side of
unbelief and indulgence of appetite.
They see how untiringly Satan is
working to destroy the image of God
in man. They wonder why beings
dependent on their Creator for
every breath they draw act so
unreasonably and inconsistently;
why they choose the side of the
one who crucified Christ and who
has filled the world with strife and
envy and jealousy. . . .
Come to Christ just as you are,weak,
helpless, and ready to die.
Cast yourselves wholly on
His mercy. There is no difficulty
within or without that cannot be
conquered in His strength. Some
have stormy tempers; but
He who calmed the stormy sea
of Galilee can say to your heart,
if you repent, “Peace, be still.”
There is no nature that Christ
cannot subdue, no temper so
stormy that He cannot quell it,
if the heart is surrendered to
His keeping.
No one need despond who
commits his soul to Jesus. We
have an all-powerful Saviour.
Looking to Jesus, the Author
and Finisher of your faith,
you can say, “God is our
refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear,
though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains
be carried into the midst of
the sea; though the waters
thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake
with the swelling thereof”
(Ps. 46:1-3). . . .
In the future life we shall
understand things that here
greatly perplex us. We shall
realize how strong an opponent
we had, and how angels of
God were commissioned to guard
us as we followed the counsel
of the Word of God. Christ
tells us that our sea will not
always be smooth. We
shall have tribulation. This is a
part of our education, necessary
to the formation of a strong,
symmetrical character.
Nov. 3,1903,
Why Trials?
“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3.
“Here is the process, the refining, purifying process, to be carried on by the Lord of hosts. The work is most trying to the soul, but it is only through this process that the rubbish and defiling impurities can be removed. Our trials are all necessary to bring us close to our heavenly Father, in obedience to His will, that we may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. God has given each of us capabilities, talents to improve. We need a new and living experience in the divine life, in order to do the will of God. No amount of past experience will suffice for the present, or will strengthen us to overcome the difficulties in our path. We must have new grace and fresh strength daily in order to be victorious. . . .
Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and many others, were all sorely tried, but not in the same way. Everyone has his individual tests and trials in the drama of life, but the very same trial seldom comes twice. Each has his own experience, peculiar in its character and circumstances, to accomplish a certain work. God has a work, a purpose, in the life of each and all of us. Every act, however small, has its place. . . .
Would that all might feel that every step they take may have a lasting and controlling influence upon their own lives and the characters of others. Oh, how much need, then, of communion with God! What need of divine grace to direct every step, and show us how to perfect Christian characters!
Christians will have new scenes and new trials to pass through, where their past experience cannot be a sufficient guide. We need to learn of the divine Teacher as much now as at any period of our lives, and even more. And the more experience we gain, the nearer we draw toward the pure light of heaven, the more shall we discern in ourselves that needs reforming. . . . The path of the just is a progressive one, from strength to strength, from grace to grace, and from glory to glory. The divine illumination will increase more and more, corresponding with our onward movements, qualifying us to meet the responsibilities and emergencies before us.”
AG 311