Trials

No one escapes life's trials, tribulations, or depression. The heaviness and darkness of life can surround and leave people feeling without hope. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains in this sermon from 1 Peter 1:6–7, it is natural for Christians to feel grieved and sorrowed. But why do trials and tribulations happen to Christians? What is God accomplishing by allowing difficult circumstances into the lives of his children? Each situation is designed by God to refine the precious character of our faith. Just as gold is refined by the fire to remove impurities, the Christian faith must be refined to remove the impurities of sin. Lloyd-Jones proclaims the words of Peter, that trials are essential in order to show the genuineness of faith, to prove that by God's power, His people can withstand the test. There is no need to despair. Christians are able to endure such times because the Lord loves his children and they can trust Him. These trials are only for a season and there is understanding that the Lord is faithful in all circumstances. The day of revelation is coming, and those who have been refined and are proven faithful will be delivered on that day. The Lord will present those who have been refined as faultless before God.