THE TRAIL OF OUR FAITH IS PRECIOUS

Victor M. Eskew

 

            None of us likes to suffer.  None of us wants to suffer.  None of us intentionally seeks afflictions.  We do not need to seek them.  Eventually suffering will come to the child of God, especially if he is faithful.  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12).  Temptations and trials are extremely difficult.  However, they are also profitable.  Peter tells us that the trial of our faith is like unto gold that is passed through the refiner’s fire.  Gold is driven up in value on the other side of the refiner’s fire.  Peter says that our passage through the fires of adversity produces something even more valuable.  “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” (I Pet. 1:7).  The key words are “much more precious.”

            Before the refining fires, we are one person.  After the refining fires, we are another person, a person who is much more precious.  What does the trial of faith produce in the life of the Christian?  First, it produces a stronger faith in God.  Faith is trust and confidence in our Savior.  As we go through our trails, we trust and wait upon God to deliver us.  We believe He will, and He does.  On the other side of the trail, we believe it even more than ever.  When Paul was on his first missionary journey, he met afflictions in almost every place he visited.  In II Timothy 3:11, he tells us:  “…but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”  Do you think his faith in God was increased when that deliverance was given to him?  Yes.  At the end of his ministry, he would write these words to Timothy:  “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom:  to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen” (II Tim. 4:18).  Paul was certain.  He did not doubt at all.  His Lord would deliver him and preserve him from EVERY evil work.

            Second, our trials produce wisdom that those who have not been afflicted do not have.  What do you say to an evil king who threatens you with death?  How do you respond to a person who strikes you for speaking the truth?  What do you do after being beaten and thrown into prison?  What do you say when you are looking at the sentence of death being carried out on you?  We know the answers to these questions, don’t we?  However, we know the answers to these questions because we read about how others faced such trials in the past.  Paul stood before the Roman tribunal and was sentenced to death?  How does one face such a sentence?  He confidently proclaims:  “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (II Tim. 4:6-8).  Struggle teaches us how to endure.  Affliction increases our knowledge about how to apply the Word of God and how to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

            Third, the fires of adversity make us stronger.  When I was in ninth grade, I tried out for a football team for the first time.  The first practice I ever attended was the morning session of what are called “two-a-days,” that is, two long practices a day during the month of August.  During that practice, individuals would fall to the ground because they were so tired.   They would go the sidelines to throw up.  They would quit running and walk after the third or fourth fifty-yard dash.  Some needed additional water.  Some would eat salt tablets (I don’t think that is done nowadays).  Some would need ice packs.  This went one for about two weeks.  Then, changes started to happen.  We could go three or four hours in practice with full pads.  We could run twenty fifty-yard dashes.  No one was getting sick.  No one was falling to the ground.  Through all of the practices, we had become much, much stronger.  The same is true when the Christian faces hardship.  Each one makes him just a little stronger.  And, strength is what we need to overcome the evil one.  Joshua was told:  “Be strong, and of good courage” (Josh. 1:6).  Paul told Timothy:  “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 2:1).  The stronger we are the more we can endure.  The stronger we are the more people we can protect.  The stronger we are the more likely we are to prevail over extremely strong opponents. 

            Fourth, the heat of tribulation causes us to be much more valuable.  Before David fought Goliath, he had fought the lion and the bear and was victorious (I Sam. 17:34-35).  Those battles made him ready to fight Goliath.  After Goliath, he was ready to be a commander of the forces of Israel (I Sam. 18:5).  Each affliction made him more valuable.  The same is true of our struggles.  We know more.  We understand more.  We can advise.  We can teach.  We can comfort.  We can fight again when needed.  We are more valuable to others and to the cause of Christ.  We are just like gold that has passed through the refiner’s fire. 

            No struggle is enjoyable.  Too, we would not wish any adversity upon anyone.  However, when we find ourselves in the flames of adversity, let’s resolve to pass through them with a deep faith in our God.  Let’s remember that on the other side of the flames, there are benefits that will be ours to enjoy.  We will have more faith.  We will have more wisdom.  We will have more strength.  We will be more valuable than in times past.  If we remember these things, we can do as Peter instructs in I Peter 1:6:  “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.”  Yes, we can rejoice.  James the brother of our Lord, said the same thing.  “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2).  Yes, we can rejoice in our trials knowing that the trial of our faith is precious.