Give Thanks for Your Trials

On your list of things to be thankful for this season, trials may not be in your top ten. Or top one hundred. But God’s Word makes it clear that suffering and adversity are essential for our spiritual growth. And they are evidence of God’s work in our lives.

Adversity keeps us humble. Prosperity and success tend to make people proud and self-sufficient. They don’t pray with the same intensity when their needs are met.

Adversity teaches us eternal truths we would otherwise not learn. For example, it’s human nature to try to avoid pain at all costs. But pain reminds us of a deeper need. Just as hunger pangs remind us that it’s time to eat, adversity can remind us that it’s time to make an important change in our lives.

Adversity gives us a deeper compassion for others in pain. It’s been said, “If you preach to people who are hurting, you will never lack for an audience.” It’s also been said, “Success builds walls; failure builds bridges.” If you say, “Look at how great my life is! I don’t have any problems! Follow me on Instagram! Everything’s perfect!” who can connect with that? But if you talk about your failures, difficulties, and challenges, now you’re speaking the language of real people who live in the real world.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:4–5, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (NLT). If I could change history, I would choose not to endure the loss of my son. I would bring him back in a heartbeat. But I can say this: God has given me, my wife, and our son a ministry we did not ask for, but a ministry we embrace. It’s a ministry of helping others who’ve lost loved ones.

I don’t want to waste my pain. If I can offer a word of encouragement or hope to someone who’s gone through the worst tragedy imaginable, I’ll seize the opportunity. I’ll tell them that God will be with them through the pain and grief. And I’ll thank God for the ministry opportunity.

It’s easy to give thanks when your health is good, the lights are green, the sky is blue, and the bills are paid. It’s not as easy to give thanks when problems mount. But we must. Psalm 106:1 says, “Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever!” (NLT). If God ceases to be good, we no longer need to give thanks. But God will always be good, so we must always give thanks.

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