Nobody ever would choose to go through a trial or a season of suffering. More often than not when these times come upon us we are inclined to cry out: “Why?” rather than: “What?”

“What does God want me to know as a result of this trial?” rather than go into panic or rebellion asking: “Why? Why? Why? What did I do to deserve this?”

Having lived a large portion of my Christian life traversing stormy seas, enduring crucible experiences, and feeling the isolation of walking through long dark valleys on my own, I have learned that my God has a great purpose for such trials. He doesn’t waste any of them or the tears that flow because of them.

In the Bible we learn of many people who passed through fiery trials before they were able to appreciate God's deep and rich blessing.

The likes of Job, Jacob, Joseph, King David, John the Baptist, the Prodigal Son, and the Apostle Paul, to name but a few, knew by experience what it was like to suffer and receive the blessing that followed. Their suffering caused their blessing to be the treasure it would never have been without such an experience.

The kind of blessing that God has in mind is something that cannot be appreciated with our human nature because it comes from the spiritual realm. We have a tendency to rely on our own strength and our own understanding, and are happy with the rewards that such strengths of human ability can acquire. But God has in mind something much deeper. Something of far greater value than that which lies on, or just under the surface.

🔸 John the Baptist expressed what true blessing and joy meant for him: “this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He [that is Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3: 29-30

🔸 Job was put through the trial of his life when permission was given by God for Satan to take everything from him. He was sure that Job blessed his God because God prospered him. So God allowed everything to be taken from him, including his health to show to the enemy of Job’s soul that he would still bless his God even with nothing left but his life. “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1: 21. These were his expressions at the beginning of his trial, and these were his words after his trial was over:

Then came the blessing ...

It took a while, but he finally realised that although he was steadfast in his integrity, he had a human nature that was in opposition to the perfect nature and mindset of God, and had to learn that the human nature, and self has to be broken and done away with in order for God to truly bless. And for Job, his trial ended when he prayed for the friends who came to minister to him but rather did the opposite.

🔸 Jacob was on his journey back to his father’s house after being away for many years. He was to meet his brother Esau for the first time after fleeing the country for receiving his father’s blessing through deception, which ought to have been given to his brother. The night before the Bible tells us when …

The Lord appeared to Jacob as a man and wrestled with him and ‘broke’ him! Jacob demanded a blessing from God or he would not let Him go, but he had to learn that we cannot demand blessing! God has an order about the way He does things and in order to be blessed the way God wanted to bless Jacob, He had to break him first so he could understand that ‘the flesh’ was not pleasing to God. God was about to make a new man out of Jacob, complete with a new name.

Names are significant in the Bible and when God asked Jacob’s name He was actually asking Jacob to confess to God his true nature. Jacob means ‘supplanter’, which he truly was. And the moment he humbled himself and owned up to his sinful nature, God was then able to do His work in this man and give to him the blessing that can only come through brokenness.

A new name was given to Jacob - Israel, which means ‘A Prince with God’. God was not about to give him and new name and identity without breaking him free from the old nature and identity first!

🔸 The Prodigal son had to learn the coldness and brokenness of being far removed from his Father’s house before he finally came to himself and planned his return home. And when he was out there, and still a long way off, his father recognised him and ran to meet him, welcoming him back to the family and home, with a great celebration to follow.

Our approach to our problem and it’s resolve, and out-coming blessing is similar in the case of someone not yet a Christian, as with one who has drifted and found themselves afar off from the Father’s love and protection.

It is not easy to come clean with God, because it means that the pain of our separation from His loving fellowship must be keenly felt, a change of heart in true repentance, tears of true sorrowful confession, and full dependency upon the mercy of God is involved. There’s no room for pride here!

But this is the place where true blessing from the heart of a loving and merciful God begins.

He is not standing over broken people with judgement and terror to dish out, but gently intreats each one to:

He already knows all about the sin that separated us from a healthy and intimate relationship with Him, and He woos us to come and confess all! It is brokenness and honesty He is looking for, because He has something precious to impart to all who allow themselves to be examined by Him.

He will make our scarlet sin as clean and as white as the virgin snow; offering complete cleansing from all that made us so unclean and unapproachable to God. Although our sin is red like crimson dye upon the fleece of a sheep identifying whose sheep it is, it shall be as wool. Which means if the identifying mark of ownership was on the fleece of the sheep; then like wool is sheered from the sheep, so God gives to the repentant sinner or child who drifted away a brand new start. The old and corrupt has to be removed, so that which is brand new can grow, and we are identified with Him!

Remember that God is not in the business of breaking people for the sake of it … just because He is God and all powerful. But He will do all that it takes to break away all that interferes with our sweet fellowship with Him and the blessing that He longs to bring to those who walk closely with Him.

Those trials and times of suffering we go through are to conform us to His image, they are not to reduce us to dust. When we place the broken pieces of our lives into His skilful hands, He will create of us a vessel held together with Christ like beauty and glory. Who wouldn’t want to work with God in this respect if it resulted in us becoming more like our precious Lord Jesus?

So whenever something comes upon us causing us to reel for a while, be encouraged to know that God will never allow a trial to come into our lives without divine purpose. Let us be exercised in this matter so that we are less likely to be taken by surprise, but have a quiet confidence that God knows what He is doing, and there we will find our rest.