Have you ever been faced with a problem and prayed, "Lord, please make this situation go away?" I have.
It might be a conflict at work, a family member, a coworker, or a neighbor next door. It seems like I'm regularly facing adversity or conflict with someone or something.
The book of James tells us to "Count it all joy 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."
Let's be honest, none of us like trials. We'd much prefer the verse said, "Pray, God, please make it go away".
I think that's the way I pray many times about trials. "God, please take control of this situation and remove it". But James tells us to rejoice in it because God will use it to "make us complete, lacking in nothing".
Recently, in one of our small groups we were discussing this passage and I was left wondering, "How many times has God wanted to change or mature something in my life, and knew that the only way I would be changeable would be under the stress of trials?"
God knows me far better than I know myself, and knows I love comfort and the status quo. He knows that in order for me to go to the next level of maturity with him he's going to have to make me uncomfortable. He's going to need to do something to get me out of my comfort zone. To teach me greater submission, greater surrender to him.
I'm not the first one he's ever done this with, and I won't be the last.
- Moses needed 40 years raising stinky sheep learning humility, before he was usable by God to lead the people of Israel.
- Peter needed to go through the threat of his personal death causing him to deny Jesus, before he could preach his message on Pentecost with boldness.
- Joseph needed to spend time being molded by God in a dungeon, before he could save his family and the nation of Egypt from famine.
The author of the book of Hebrews says, that even Jesus "learned" through suffering (Hebrews 5:8). The original language sounds something like "he learned submission, through the ill treatment he received". What an amazing statement about the Son of God. If Jesus learned to trust his Father through the trials, how much more should I?
Jesus prayed the night of his betrayal, "if it's possible, let this cup [what I'm about to go through] pass by me [let me avoid it], nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done".
Jesus prayed just like I sometimes do, but with one exception. He prayed that if he needed to undergo the coming trial to learn submission to the Father, so be it.
The next time you are faced with a difficult trial, instead of asking God to remove it, consider praying "Father, if I need to go through this trial to learn what you are trying to teach me, help me to surrender everything to you."
