I recently watched a video of Dr. Myles Munroe explaining why God sometimes allows us to reach what might feel like rock bottom and it really resonated with me. If you have time, I encourage you to check it out now or set a reminder to come back and listen to it a little later.
Ladies, in case you didn’t know, I am here to remind you that being a believer does not exempt us from trials. In fact, throughout the Bible we see that God entrusted many great women (and men) of faith with hardships. Often, the very reason we talk about Sarah, Hagar, Ruth, Esther, and Hannah today is because of the trials they endured and overcame through God’s power.
God has a plan and purpose for everything under the sun. As we grow in faith, it becomes easier to trust that, even in the difficult seasons, He is in control.
Trials serve many purposes: refining our character, strengthening our faith, teaching us reliance on Him, revealing areas we must surrender, and preparing us for the assignments He has in store. If God cannot trust us to be faithful in the test, how can He trust us with greater tasks? Below are some scriptures that will remind us why trials are necessary and how God uses them for His glory and our growth:
Trials Strengthen Our Faith – They are are not a sign of God’s absence. They are evidence of our walk with Him. Trials stretch our faith and deepen our dependence on Him.
Acts 14:22 (NIV)
“…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.”
Trials Teach Us to Be Still and Trust God – In the midst of the valleys, God reminds us to simply rest in His sovereignty.
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’”
Trials Work Together for Our Good – Even when we don’t understand, we can trust that God is orchestrating every circumstance, good or bad, to fit His divine plan.
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Trials Matures Us and Produce Endurance and Hope – Consider hardships an opportunity for growth. Suffering is not wasted. It matures us, develops perseverance, and hope.
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Trials Reveal Areas We Need to Surrender – Sometimes trials expose strongholds, weaknesses or areas where we’ve resisted God’s will. They give us a chance to surrender fully to Him.
Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Final Thought
God allows trials not to destroy us, but to build us. He sees the bigger picture and knows the assignments He has prepared for us. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Will we trust Him in the breaking, knowing He is shaping us for greater purpose?
