Getting Strong Under The Load

Getting Strong Under The Load


Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

When troubles fell upon Job, his friends thought that his difficulty was the direct result of some sin he committed (Job 4:7, 8 & 5:27). Oftentimes we carry the same attitude, that the troubles we experience are God's punishment for our mistakes. And maybe this idea of punishment speaks to our view of God, not actually God's view of us.

I concede that some troubles are the natural consequences of our sins. Or in other words, we sometimes bring troubles on our own heads. Then there are the natural side effects (difficulties we face) of following Christ. We incur some troubles because we live in a fallen world. But I have already spent too much time on identifying the source of troubles. Regardless of where the struggles come from, know that the Lord will use the pain and trials to teach and to strengthen those that follow and love Him.

It would seem to me that God has not called us to a trouble free existence, but to one wrought with a mix of joy and difficulties. The scripture says that Jesus was a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3). One of the things about Jesus that is so compelling is that he did not side-step troubles. He endured them, and that makes him capable of fully "understanding" our condition (Hebrews 4:14-15). And in turn, we should patiently endure troubles like Christ did because that makes us suitable for ministering to others.

Maybe God sends (or allows) some hardships so that we can get stronger under the load. The stronger we get, the more we can endure. The stronger we get, the more useful we are to those suffering around us. And this patiently enduring and helping others is the process God uses to help us persevere and gain the crown of life He has promised.