When I was in middle school and early high school, hardships seemed to be coming from every direction. Whether it was friend drama or hot topic conversations that I did not know how to respond to, I was in a period of trial. Most of us experience this going through school. Let me explain why I think God allows seemingly bad things to happen to good people.
The Bible compares the process of refining precious metals to the way in which the Holy Spirit works in our lives to make us more like Him. The analogy of refinement is used frequently, but most people only look at the surface, when in actuality, we must dive deeper to see the real meaning. When metal is being made, it goes through a process called electrorefining, a method of removing the impurities of metal through heat. The Bible uses this analogy to symbolize the process of sanctification through trials.
Trials are something no one wants, but everyone faces. Rarely do we stop and ask God how to deal with the situation in a godly manner. Rather than a “woe is me!” mindset when it comes to trials, we need to adopt a “what can I learn from this?” mindset, asking God to give us His perspective.
1 Peter 1:7 states, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.”
The Apostle Peter understood the concept of trials. Every Christian, on this side of heaven, will go through trials in life, not because God likes to see us suffer, but because He is growing and teaching us, ultimately drawing His children closer to Him.
“The finest refiner is the one who sensitively applies just enough heat to complete the task, and who exercises all the patience needed to remove each impurity until the clarity of the surface literally mirrors the image of the refiner,” author Dick Eastman said in his book, “Living and Praying In Jesus’ Name.”
When going through trials, it can be hard to see the bright side. We are often lost in a cycle of thinking we are alone and forgotten, believing God has turned His back on us. Let me encourage you by saying this: God will never give you more than you can handle, and in 1 Corinthians 10:13, He says that He will always see you through.
In a period of trial, I often find it hard to see the good. I tend to ask myself the recurring questions of “why?” and “what if?” We need to remember that when we go through a trial, we are actually receiving one of the greatest blessings: the blessing of being able to identify with Christ. Jesus went through trials, temptations and the cross, and every single one was a test of His obedience and faith in God.
The purpose of these challenges is to learn life lessons and be refined by Christ. Going in with this mindset enables you to be more receptive to the growth and purification process. When we become Christians, our lives are not perfect, and going through the trials of life is one of the many ways God enhances us.
“It is simply a matter of inviting Jesus into the unclean part of our lives,” Eastman said. “You might feel ashamed to ask Him there, but He who left the excellence of heaven to condescend to the pollution of the earth is not threatened by either the presence or the power of sin. Indeed, God is ever drawing us closer to the fire of His purifying essence so we might be more like Him.”
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