Friday, February 5, 2010

Trials and Tribulations

The Lord pointed something out to me as I was reading Exodus 14-16 It's the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the desert and they were always grumbling, complaining, quarreling about how things were going for them. They grumbled about the food or lack of it, about the water or lack of it, about Moses and about just about everything else too. Moses told them that when they did that, they were actually grumbling (complaining) against God Himself and putting Him to the test (which we're not supposed to do) and telling Him that they didn't trust Him.

When it says that their complaining was "putting the Lord to the test", it means that when they complained about their situation and how things were, at the root of their complaints was a distrust of God Himself. They didn't trust Him to provide for Him so by complaining they were "testing" Him to see if he would respond to their complaints. It would be like a kid daring an adult to do what they said they'd do. Such as: "oh yeah? you think you're so hot, then you just go ahead and let's see you fix this!"

The reason I feel this is applicable to our study about trials and tribulations is because I know for a fact that I complain about my circumstances when I'm going through a trial, and I suspect that I'm not alone in this.

We've already looked at the many reasons the Lord allows us to go through these trials so I thought it might be a good idea to address some of our sinful reactions to the trials. The first and most obvious sin is complaining about it.

When we do that we're really saying that we don't believe that God is in control of our situation, or that if He is then He must have fallen asleep on the job, because it sure doesn't look good from our end!  We're saying that God isn't just.  Further, we're saying that we don't trust Him to cause even this trial and all the various aspects of it to work out for our good. We're saying that either He can't, or won't do this for us, and that is a lie from Satan as are the other statements. Without realizing it, we are quite literally exchanging the Truth of God for a lie and that is not something to take lightly! When we do this we are walking in the darkness rather then the Light and the Truth is not in us. 

When this happens, we need to see a huge red flag in our minds eye warning us that we are turning down the wrong path, we are sinning and need to confess that to the Lord and repent.
Praise God because we know that when we confess our sins and repent, the Lord is faithful to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!

This doesn't mean that we can't discuss what's going on with us with other believers so that we can be encouraged, held accountable, and comforted though.  When we discuss it however, our attitude should be one of patient endurance and of expectation of deliverance--of coming out of it better then when it started.  We can say it's hard, that's obviously true.  We simply need to refrain from complaining about it--suggesting by our attitude that perhaps God is asleep on the job, or that He's forgotten us, or that He can't or won't help us for some reason, or that we're going through it for some unknown but unfair reason.  We need to make sure we do not allow ourselves to become depressed about it either because depression due to the trial is basically complaining with our mouths closed --your whole demeanor when we're depressed is saying that God isn't good and isn't helping you. We aren't to get angry about it either, because that would be saying that God is unfair or that we "deserve" better.  Those are the "no-no's".  Instead, during our trials especially, we are to live by faith and not by sight.

It's pretty easy to see from scripture that the Lord really really doesn't like complaining or our mistrust in Him.  I'm going to list a number of scriptures here although certainly not all of them that pertain to this, but enough to give us something to reflect on today and in the future:

Exodus 17:2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”

Matthew 4:7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Numbers 14:29 In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.

1 Corinthians 10:10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

James 5:9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:29-32 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

Psalm 4:4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Psalm 37:8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.


I don't want to leave this post however without some encouragement for us.  Although what I've said is true and we need to beware of it, God does not leave us defenseless against the temptations to complain, become depressed or stop trusting Him.  Not at all!  Many of you have probably heard me say this next part before on other posts, but the following is the way the Lord would have us guard our minds and emotions:

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Whenever a thought or feeling of complaining, anger, bitterness, revenge, depression, or anything at all that is not of God, comes into our minds, we are to "take it captive". That means stop it, right there in it's tracks. As soon as you realize that you are having that kind of thought, (or feeling) you stop yourself and replace the ungodly thought (and/or feeling) with the truth of God. You replace the thoughts with something from the next verses:

Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

See where it says to "think about such things"?  In some translations it says instead, "dwell on these things" or "meditate on these things"--meditate meaning to reflect on them, not what the modern idea of meditation is!  The point is that this is what SHOULD be in our minds.  Whenever something that doesn't belong in our minds is there, it needs to be immediately replaced with the Truth of God, with something on this list.

Note in the above verse that when we do this, God who is the God of peace will be with us and He will give us peace! I'm posting these passages backward because I wanted to point this out to you about the peace of God.  Here is the first part of God's directions to us about how to guard our hearts and minds:

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So besides capturing our thoughts and making them obedient to Christ by replacing them with the Truth, we are to rejoice ALWAYS!  Yes, even during the worst trials of our lives!  And our biggest refuge is prayer which we should do constantly and with thanksgiving.  We don't have to thank Him for the trial itself and you shouldn't unless you really are thankful for it.  To do so would be to lie and that is a sin.  You can however thank Him for helping you get through the day, you can thank Him that He has told you in His Word that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel, even though we can't see it yet.  You can thank Him that He is in control even in the current mess, etc.

The great thing about this is the promise that is hidden at the end of this:

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When we do the above, replacing bad/wrong/sinful thoughts and feelings with God's Truth and with the things He has told us should be in our minds and hearts; when we stay in thankful prayer with Him, then His Peace will literally guard our hearts and minds!  That's how we get that peace that surpasses all understanding!  Isn't that awesome???


We do all this because we are now living in the light in the Lord, so we need to make our thought life consistent with God's Truth. That in turn brings our emotions under control too.  I want to share two other verses here that also include things that we can use to replace the sinful thoughts and emotions with:


Ephesians 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.


So you can also use the things listed, such as the fruit of the light or fruit of the spirit to guide your thought life and to replace the ungodly thoughts or feelings when they start.

Let me also share a few encouraging verses from God's Word to those of us who are going through trials right now:

Psalm 71:20-21 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

Psalm 40:1-5  I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

Last I'd like to compare how the Jew's sinned with their complaining and how Job reacted to his trials:

Job 1:20-22 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job 2:9-10 His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.


I realize that this is long and I apologize, but it was just too important to shorten any more then I have.
  I hope it helps us all remember that our real trial during any hard times in our lives is to respond to it in a godly way and to live by faith instead of by sight.

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