https://odb.org/2025/01/21/the-gift-of-trials
1 Peter 4:12–14, 16, 19 (ESV): 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 19 Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
The story of the Wright brothers is a great inspiration as they went through many failures before succeeding in flying an aeroplane. They went through lots of trials and adversity, including money woes, serious injury, and ridicule, and yet, instead of giving up, they triumphed. As their biographer, David McCullough wrote, adversity is exactly what you need to give you a lift higher. Orville Wright once said, “No bird soars in a calm.” In other words, the eagle needs the wind to lift it up higher.
Thus, in a way, like martyrdom is a gift, trials and tribulations are also gifts to help us achieve spiritual maturity. If we don’t go through difficult times, how will we experience the reality of God in our lives? If we don’t go through disappointments, how will we experience the comfort of God? For example, I was really sad that I was laid off after so many years with my previous organisation, but I was glad to experience the provision of God with a job offer elsewhere. Actually, the story was that I was about to resign to accept a job offer at another organisation because of certain unacceptable changes at my workplace then, but I was instead offered a severance package before I clicked. How it all happened in one particular day was the reality and provision of God working in my life. To cap it all, the new job was only a 15 mins drive from our condo in the city that my younger son was already staying in for his college education! There was not any need to relocate to another city or travel for more than an hour through rush hour to my new workplace! That’s the provision of God working in my life! Every time I think of those moments, I shed a tear of joy recounting the goodness of God!
We might prefer a smooth sailing life and perhaps experience less spectacular “miracles” or touches from God, but alas, in life, we don’t actually get to choose. With the benefit of foresight, we might have done otherwise. But life comes as it comes. Could we choose to avoid the MCO that destroyed our just launched business then and left us near penniless? Our dreams and hopes shattered, and our renovations all went to waste because we had zero customers? Or someone we loved could not get vaccinated in time and perished when the Covid-19 attacked his lungs? I knew of that exact person. It is now close to 3 years since all these happened, but frankly, that was the time when I felt that I was really vulnerable when I got sick. I was worried that I might not make it, especially in those early days when the vaccine was not yet widely available.
If you are going through hard times, keep your head up and persevere through. Trust in Jesus and the provision of God. God knows us personally and loves us dearly. The tide will turn eventually. We will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t lose hope. The Wright brothers didn’t give up, and now there are thousands and thousands of flights every day. We could be at another city in the world in a matter of hours.
Have a good week ahead, everyone! Dwell in the presence of God, and may He lift up our spirits to face all adversities and trials that come our way so we may triumphed and become more mature in Christ! Amen!
Ronnie's Thoughts 