The Bible clearly says in John 16 that we will all endure trials. I’ve heard it taught that we’re all either preparing to go into a trial, coming out of a trial, or in the middle of a trial. Where do you find yourself today?
My husband and I unexpectedly walked into a series of trials just a couple weeks ago. It’s painful. It has forced me to really dig in. In this post, I’m sharing what has helped me over the last couple weeks.
Jesus’s faithfulness during the greatest trial
We can all agree Jesus endured the greatest trial. He started His ministry knowing how it was going to end. He would save the world from sin and death, but it would require him to literally sacrifice his life. All my trials, no matter how difficult, pale in comparison.
A passage of scripture where Jesus speaks to his coming sacrifice recently really struck me. Check out what it says in John 12:20-28:
“Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, ‘Sir, we want to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
“Jesus replied to them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
“‘Now my soul is troubled. What should I say — Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’
“Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’”
Jesus is staring His trial in the face. He says the hour has come and He is feeling troubled. So now he has a choice. He can run or endure faithfully. He chose to endure for the glory of the Father.
Running from or enduring a trial
In a lot of ways, we don’t feel like we have a choice between enduring or running. If the trial comes, we have to walk through it. Where I think the running or enduring shows up is in our heart posture.
I was miraculously healed of Crohn’s disease (check out my testimony here!). It was a 3 year trial. For a year and a half of it I ran. I wasn’t resting in God. I was searching the world for a solution only God could provide. Finally, I put my focus on God and rested in Him.
With this season of trials, God quickly showed me where I was running and desperately seeking the world for comfort instead of Him. Recognizing that helped me to switch my focus to God quickly. It has required incredible discipline, but I feel like I’m now enduring faithfully. (At least more faithfully. There’s always room to grow with the Lord. 😊)
Practices for enduring trials faithfully
It’s easy to say I want to endure faithfully. It’s harder to genuinely live it out. Here are some things that have helped me in this season. We also see Jesus exhibit these in the passage from John 12.
Intentional prayer
Prayer helps me to align my heart and mind to God’s. We see Jesus engage in prayer in John 12:28 to align his heart to the Father’s. I specifically love praying scripture because it helps with that alignment. (If you’re new to praying scripture, check out the devotion The Power of Praying Scripture.)
I asked the Lord for scripture to pray and compiled this prayer about three days into my trial. In addition to prayer throughout the day, I’ve prayed this every morning and again throughout the day if I start to struggle. This alone drastically changed my perspective.
This is a combination of Psalm 116:17, 112:7-8, Deuteronomy 20:3-4, Ephesians 6:13-18, Daniel 3:17-18, and Psalm 16:5-6.
Lord, I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on your name. I will not fear bad news; my heart is confident, trusting in you, Lord. My heart is assured; I will not fear. In the end I will look in triumph on my foes.
I know that today I will engage in battle with my enemies. I will not be cowardly. I will not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them. I know that you go with me to fight against my enemies to give me victory.
Help me to take up your full armor so that I can resist in the evil day and have prepared everything to take my stand. Help me stand with your truth like a belt around my waist, your righteousness like armor on my chest, and my feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. Help me to in every situation take up the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Help me take the helmet of salvation and the sword of your Spirit (the Word). Help me to pray at all times in your Spirit with every prayer and request, staying alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
I know you exist and can rescue me from any abnormality in my body, and you can rescue me from the torment of Satan. But even if you do not rescue me, I will not turn away or worship false gods.
Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed I have a beautiful inheritance.
I love you, Lord. Help me. Save me from my flesh and my enemies, in Jesus’ name I pray.
Clinging to scripture
The Bible is full of God’s promises and truth. When thoughts that trouble me come into my mind, I take the thought captive and replace it with what God’s word says. In other words, I choose to stop thinking about whatever is troubling me and think about what God says about me and my situation instead.
Here are some examples:
- Anxiety – Matthew 6:25, 1 Peter 5:7
- Depression – Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 23:4
- Fear – Joshua 1:9, Psalm 112:7-8
- Grief – Psalm 126:5, Matthew 5:4
- Healing – Matthew 8:2-3, Mark 5:28
- Impossible situation – Isaiah 43:2, Daniel 3:17-18
- Mocking for faith – Matthew 5:10-12
- Weariness – Galatians 6:9
In my most recent trial, I clung to Psalm 112:7-8. We see Jesus doing this in John 12:24-25. He feels troubled but he clings to the truth of the Father.
Being surrounded in Godly community
It’s helpful to be surrounded by Godly women in all seasons, but especially during trials. They can come alongside you with prayer, encouragement, and support.
During the trial with Crohn’s, I hid the struggle because I didn’t want to constantly talk about my problems. What ended up happening was I was sitting in sins of fear, self-absorption, and resentment, and no one knew to be able to call me higher.
Godly mentors love us well by supporting us and calling out our sin when we’re having a hard time doing it ourselves. Although Jesus never sinned, he still surrounded himself with Godly community and we see it in John 12 with Philip and Andrew.
Being surrounded in community doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone what is going on. Choose a small group of people who you trust, and you know are surrendered to God. Having a large group of mentors can lead us to “advice shop” or gossip more than genuinely seek wisdom.
Journaling
Journaling is another method that helps me get out of my head and turn back to the truth of God. It helps me to confess my thoughts and not keep circling them. If the next day or even the next hour I’m having the same thoughts, I can go back and read what I wrote to remind myself what God told me before and rest in that.
Jesus gives us a great outline for journaling in John 12. He declares the truth of God, confesses how He is feeling, and then lands declaring His obedience to God and God speaks back to Him.
Journaling can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You can write on a post-it, in your phone notes, a traditional journal, or a scrap of paper you find nearby. It can be bullet points or notes in the margins. Don’t get caught up in perfect words or sentences. Just start writing and God will lead you.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus
Trials are hard, but the Bible is clear we will have them. There is a joke that says the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes, but for believers, we can add trials to that list.
Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
He doesn’t say you might. He says you will. But don’t miss the good news. Jesus has conquered the world. Stay connected to Him and He will bring you victory. We endure every trial for the glory of God.
Wondering about how to know God? Check out the gospel message.
I would love to pray for you! Please let me know how I can be praying here.