Q1. Value of Trials

[Adjoa]

This question has sent me down memory lane and has been an eye opener because I've not really placed any value on trials in my life. I went through stuff but I've rather learnt things in retrospection as oppose to while going through. So I've learnt to  go through my trials differently, which I've been doing in the biggest and longest trial of my life....2020 to present. I've also noticed that one can have trials within a major trial. And so for the first time I've valued my trials while going through because there are lessons to learn, habits to break and fruits to bear!

[spazzo47]

As I was reading this section I thought about the time right after college.  I was unemployed, doing whatever work I could find.  Mostly I worked as a substitute teacher and had a side gig stuffing mass mailings in a college mailroom.  And that's when God called me to ministry.  That time in my life was marked with going on nightly hour long walks  where I prayed while also helping to plant a church 30 minutes away.  It never occurred to me to give up the church, even though it would have saved on gas.  

i wish that every time of trial was a success like that was.  It hasn't been.  But God never gave up on me and I always came back.  

[Janzie]

On 12/17/2004 at 1:30 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (James 1:2-4) What value have trials had in your life? Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? Or allowed God to refine you? How have you changed?

Trials are of great value, they have changed me.  They have made me stronger in the faith and more dependent on the Lord.  They have helped me to grow - forgiving someone who hurt me.  I could have made satan destroy me and stayed mad and angry at the persons but that would only hurt me more than the other person.  I allowed God to have His way and forgive the person.  His prompt to me was always hearing that song on the radio "7 x's 7" and I finally gave in by forgiving and loving  the person.  After we made up, I never heard that song again. (:^) God is still refining me.  I think I get rid of one thing and something else  pops up, which I was not aware of.  The Word says he is changing us:  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor. 3:18)
 

[Trina]

I had a health emergency about two years ago, and when I was in the Emergency Room all I could think about was how glad I was that I studied, read the word, and prayed that morning.  That trial made me stronger in the Lord and looking back now I can see how the experience refined me.  I claim 2 Tim 1:7 - For God did not give me a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-discipline.

[Irmela]

 (James 1:2-4)

What value have trials had in your life?

They have taught me that God is indeed everything to me. He is my All in All.  They have taught me not to rely on man for man lets you down.  You cannot trust man. Indeed when at times I failed, when turning back to God, He was true His Word. He was there. When I repented, He indeed forgave me.

We will come to that passage soon enough.   "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials?

He sure tried and got me very discouraged, broken and despondent.  Needing to fight depression.  My God has been there and in my Despair I called to Him and indeed He was there, He never left me alone.  I still battle with trust issues but fight it.  

Or allowed God to refine you?

He sure has done a work in my life. i was so sure of myself before. so confident of my abilities.  Now I  rely on Him.

How have you changed?

Now I try to rely on Him always.

WHAT A POTTER.  MASTER.  FRIEND.   !!!!!!!!! 

[Mampho]

Trials had brought out the strong person in me, the devil didnt destroy me or rather the trials but God refined me, i have learnt to trust God in difficult situations, i have also learnt that people are God's plan, and try to see them as He does so that when i am being hurt by them, i forgive. i have always seen myself being able to calmly respond to pressing issues.

[hanks]

Q1. (1:2-4) 
What value have trials had in your life? 
Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? 
Or allowed God to refine you? 
How have you changed?
I have been tested and although at the time they were very trying; it is later on reflection that I realized our Lord was strengthening my faith. God permitted them for a good reason. Besides the fact that my faith was tested and grew, I was taught to endure and stand up against all sorts of hardships. I’ve read that God cares more about our holiness than our happiness, but also that our Heavenly Father is faithful and will not allow us to be tested beyond what we are able (1 Cor 10:13). With the help of the Holy Spirit, I have withstood Satan, whose aim is to weaken, deceive, and lead us astray; if God is for you, who can be against you? By allowing these various trials God is successfully busy chipping away at all my unholiness, ugliness, pride, and disobedience; refining me by making me more and more like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (1 Pet 1:7). I praise Him for the way He has guided me, every step of the way, through my life. I have never doubted His motives and I most definitely have changed for the better. But there is still much work to be done on and in me.
 

[Lisema Ralitsoele]

Q1. (James 1:2-4) What value have trials had in your life? I think the best way to describe their value in my life, is that they have developed in me the attitude of “never go to bed angry” no matter how heavy the trial or late the hour. I have to maintain my level of contentment at a constant or higher level.  Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? Yes, Satan hit me with some tough blows, and I did stagger and fall on my knees but he never knocked me out flat. Or allowed God to refine you? God was waiting for me to ask Him for forgiveness and repentance and He gave me a loving embrace that I in no way ever want to get out of ever again. How have you changed? I am more loving, joyful, peaceful and patient with others. While I still get angry, I’m slow to speak instead of bursting out. I think I am also more forgiving.

 

[haar]

Q1. (James 1:2-4) What value have trials had in your life? Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? Or allowed God to refine you? How have you changed?

A major trial I am currently going through at the moment is financial desert.

As a retiree, the monthly pension cannot meet my family needs. Some pre- retirement investments that were made in landed property to augment the pension are in low demand due to the general insecurity in the country.

Despite all challenges, we can see that God has been faithful in providing food on the table daily. As such, we remain trusting in his word that encourages us that he is our shepherd and thus we will not want. This keeps us ever trusting and rejoicing in his faithfulness.

[HarveyDunn]

The greatest trial that I have had to endure is the loss of my 20 year old son Randy, twenty years ago.  I served as associate Pastor at that time and my son had been a rebel and drug user.  For several years I had to deal with the embarrassment of my son and his activities, me having to take him to counseling, etc.  After all of his illicit activities he got his girlfriend pregnant.  To shorten a rather long story Randy who had been living from couch to couch with friends and associates asked to come home.  Randy rededicated his life to the Lord, cleaned himself up and began coming to church again.  After suffering a disappointment one evening Randy resorted to his old way and ended up dying of a drug overdose.  The girl that he left pregnant gave us a most beautiful girl that has been a part of our life all these 20+ years of which we are so blessed.  I grew out of the tragedy and became a better pastor, counselor and person.  And the girl that has blessed us all these years has also given us a beautiful greatgranddaughter.

[anitamchavez]

Four years ago, my life had come to a point where I had to put everything I was doing onto the table. It was not pretty. My family was supportive but it did not feel good to have my life's doings (health, finances, social life, spiritual positions) displayed before my adult children. The pressure of life revealed itself. I had no where to turn or hide. I got a phone call during this time that asked me a question.  "Do you want to learn how to do life differently?"  Quietly crying I responded, "Yes, I have nothing left."  This is the beginning of my journey with a God that I thought I knew. If it were not for the pressure of being vomited out of my situation I would still be blindly following MY perception of my Lord, my God. 

[Zilka]

Of course trials had value in my life as positive or negative, so  many experiences to be better and strong in survival.

I think everybody must have one Prozess to study survival measure for selfdefence. 

In the World, Satan looks for membership. Sometimes you and me trap in Satan philosophy too.

I am happy now with Jesus, more communicate for every Situation and He shows me Design to follow him.

 

[Charles kirumwa]

Having been brought up by a single mother through a lot of poverty knowing that my father was a rich man living in the city, has made me to resolve to love my family and no amount of misunderstanding will cause me abandon and leave them to suffer.

[Old Jerry]

The value that my trials have had in my life is it makes me think twice before I act. It also makes me take the other persons advice when I am in a trial. I don’t think that Satan had destroyed me with those trials. It has refined me.

[Godswriter]

Q1. (James 1:2-4) What value have trials had in your life? Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? Or allowed God to refine you? How have you changed?

For me I have gone through many trials that would break most people. One of the most painful and saddest was the loss of my best friend Amber who died in a head on collision with a semi. I knew weeks before that she was going to die and the how of it. This alone would break most people. I was not close to the Lord at this time. God brought me back to Himself through it. However, I have gone through many more since then. One of the most recent was with me being at death's door in 2020 after a relapse with my compulsive overeating that lasted over a year. I could not breathe and had trouble catching my breath and also was unable to walk without being out of breath. I was weighed at the local hospital and was 458 lbs. My highest weight ever to be honest. That night I was admitted God appeared to me in a dream disguised and gave me 2 choices when it came to my addiction. Obedience or Disobedience. The stipulations with each of them was drastically different. Obedience He would let me live while Disobedience sadly meant my mom would have to bury because He would take home early. I actually wrestled with Him in the dream and begged him to let me live. By dawn I was given the words I longed to hear. Your wish is granted aka desire. This refined me of my will and broke me utterly because of things He showed me. I am more dependent on Him. However, I have a long way to go yet. 

[cmw]

As I look back, I've had many trials. Some I met w faith, some I didn't. Trials have given me resilience. For the trials I didn't rely on my faith I felt stuck and defeated.