Turning to God in the Midst of Trials

Read the following passages together as a family:

​Jeremiah 7:9-11
9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In Jeremiah 7, the prophet Jeremiah is addressing people who are going to the temple to worship God. Although they maintained the outward forms of worshiping Go, they indulged in idolatry and sin behind the scenes:

9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?

Generations later, Jesus referenced this passage when he rebuked the temple leaders for also turning the temple into a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:15-19). These passages remind us that real worship must be accompanied by repentance. If we do not turn away from sin, we cannot sincerely claim to be turning towards God. If we don’t repent, we’re not just asking God to protect us, we’re also asking him to protect our sins.

This is a sobering reminder for our present time. As we seek God’s deliverance for ourselves and for the world, we must come before him with a repentant heart. And that starts first and foremost with ourselves, as we confess our own sin to Him. Like Jeremiah’s audience, many of us would come and worship weekly before God at church. But do our lives reflect a changed heart? Or do we think that God turns a blind eye to our sin?

God’s promise is that if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive (1 John 1:9). And that is the only way to deal with sin. Sin doesn’t go away with time. It doesn’t disappear if we pretend it isn’t there. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from unrighteousness.

Discuss: Spend some time as a family confessing your sins before God. Pray that God would also cause the hearts many to turn to him in repentance.

James 1:2-3 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James teaches us how we can have genuine joy in trials. Trials are of “various kinds.” For example, everyone is experiencing the current pandemic differently. For some, the trial is the disease itself. For others, the trial is losing their livelihoods. For many, this is a time of great fear and uncertainty. But God is sovereign in all things. Because of that, you can be assured that whatever trial you are experiencing now is exactly what God has prepared for you. Nothing that God sends our way is random or meaningless.

James tells us that when we meet trials, we know that it is a “testing” of our faith. No matter how old or young you are in the faith, the present crisis is testing our trust in God. Just as the process of refinement results in pure gold or silver, so testing reveals genuine faith.

Discuss: What is the trial that God has sent you right now? Be specific; remember: God’s trials are personal, not generic.

What happens when our faith is tested? James says that testing produces steadfastness. That’s interesting. Typically, we think that we need steadfastness before the test. You might be thinking, “I wish God would give me steadfastness and perseverance, then I would be able to make it through this trial.” But here, James is telling us that steadfastness is the result of the trial.

Think about the physical body. A muscle only gets stronger when it is exercised. Strength is the outcome of “testing” our muscles. Similarly, by the testing of our faith, God produces steadfastness in us. The Greek word for “steadfastness” comes from the idea of “remaining under” something (like a heavy burden). That is a good image to keep in mind. As we are tested, we get stronger, more steadfast. And with greater steadfastness, we can handle more, hold more, bear more – not just for ourselves, but also for the people around us.

Why does God test us? The purpose of all of this is spiritual maturity. “Let steadfastness have its full effect,” says James, “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Here, “perfect” means being complete, mature. It also includes the idea of becoming like God. Jesus says that we are to be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48).

God sends trials not to harm us, but to strengthen our trust in Him and produce spiritual maturity in us. This promise is the foundation of our joy. Our example of joy is Christ himself. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “…let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross….” On the cross, the only sinless man who ever lived died at the hands of sinners. Yet God was able to turn the suffering of Jesus into the salvation of everyone who believes in Him. Because of this, we can trust that God will also turn our suffering towards our good and His glory.

​Discuss: As a family, spend some time remembering and thanking God for his steadfast love and faithfulness. Pray that God would give us eyes to see his goodness in the present trial.