Saint Augustine once said, "God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering." In chapter eleven of the book of Hebrews, we are given a type of Scriptural in memoriam of the faith of the Old Testament saints. It speaks of Abel's sacrifice, Enoch's walk with the Lord, and Noah's ark. We read of Abraham's sojourning in the Promised Land and Isaac's miraculous birth. Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Rahab are also mentioned as examples of great faith and the great deeds it can accomplish.
But alongside the parting of the Red Sea and the felling of the walls of Jericho, we read these words: "Some were tortured... Others suffered mocking and flogging...chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword...destitute, afflicted, mistreated..." (Heb. 11:35–37). Great faith, it seems, is fashioned in the furnace of great suffering.
Yet in this verse the phrase "they were tempted" is oddly set between such atrocities as being sawn in two and killed with the sword. Scholars have found this juxtaposition so odd, in fact, that it's probably only a footnote in your Bible! But while martyrdom and violent persecution are not common to all God's children, trials and temptations are universal to the saints. The Bible says trials come in "various kinds" (Jas. 1:2) and that we are to expect trouble in this world (Jn. 16:33). It teaches us that temptation is common to all mankind (1 Cor. 10:13) and that our enemy the devil is constantly seeking to devour and destroy our souls (1 Pet. 5:8).
The Bible says all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). The word persecuted is dioko in Greek, and carries with it various meanings. Pursued. Mistreated. Harassed, troubled and molested in any and every way. Some may not face the threat of violence or death for their faith, but trials and temptations hold for the soul all the deadliness which physical weapons hold for the body. Swords may plunge at the heart, but temptation stabs at our character. Flames may burn flesh, but trials blaze against our faith.
It is helpful to understand how our enemy operates in trials and temptations, and how our faithful God frustrates his intentions, turning them to the benefit of His children. Christ's temptation in the wilderness gives us insight: Satan uses trials to weaken us, then he exploits that weakness. Jesus was hungry; Satan pressed Him to use wrong means to satisfy a legitimate need. Jesus trusted and depended on God's promises; Satan tempted Him to presume upon God's providence. Jesus submitted to the Father's will for His life; Satan suggested idolatry to gratify ambition. The devil's attacks are always aimed at destroying our faith in God and weakening our submission to His will!
When given to God, however, trials become the means to flourishing faith and steadfast obedience. This is why so many of our temptations come down to an issue of control. On a website aimed at helping individuals "awaken the greatness within," these anonymous quotes are found:
Do not forget that you are who you decide to be. Stay in control of your life.
It's your life. Don't let others tell you how to live it.
You control you.
No one is coming to save you. This life of yours is 100% your responsibility.
The lie that Satan perpetrated in Eden and continues to perpetuate today is this: You can be like God (Gen. 3:5). At the bottom of every temptation lies the question, who's in control? Is God in control of my finances, or will I use whatever means necessary to get ahead, even if it means compromising my integrity? Is God in control of my circumstances, or will I make them what I want them to be, no matter what the cost? Is God in control of my mind, or will I indulge whatever thoughts or forms of entertainment I like? Is God in control of my body, or will I satisfy my every urge and desire, regardless of the consequences?
The sad truth is that when we do take control and yield to pride, lust, greed or any other sin, our circumstances may indeed be altered. We effect situational changes in our lives, or find temporary fulfillment in people or things, but we don't actually escape the temptation. We merely subdue it for a time. It is guaranteed to return the stronger, and with increasing peril to our souls. As Isaac Watts so aptly put it: "It is a poor relief we gain to shift the place but keep the pain."
So what do we do when trials debilitate us and temptations assail us? Is victory even possible when, by our own desires, we are drawn away and enticed again and again (Jas. 1:14)? Is there hope amidst the hindrances to our holiness? The answer is yes in Jesus Christ! God's Word encourages us to submit to Him and resist the devil (Jas. 4:7). We have the gift of God's own spiritual armor in our battles against the enemy (Eph. 6:11), and the guidance of His indwelling Holy Spirit in the hour of our trials (Luke 12:11–12). We have the promise that God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but will help us endure it by providing a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13).
But the greatest promise of all is that when we fail—and we will—we have a high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses. Jesus was "tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 14:15). He knows firsthand the intensity of temptation and the ruthlessness of the enemy's warfare. Yet where Satan's sparks ignite on the tinder of corruption in our hearts, Christ's sinless nature extinguished them completely. He intercedes for us before the Father, not because we withstand every temptation or endure every trial perfectly, but because He did so in our stead!
Therefore, take heart, o tried and tempted child of God—you are united to Christ in your sufferings (1 Pet. 4:13)! Rejoice in the afflictions that are producing perseverance and manufacturing maturity in your walk of faith (Jas. 1:2)! God is using this trial to strengthen your faith. He is turning that temptation into deep dependence and persistent prayer. Far from disqualifying you from your spiritual inheritance, your trials and temptations are proving your conversion and displaying the work of His Spirit in your life.
Like the tuning of a heavenly instrument, there will be disharmony and notes of discord before the pitch is set for eternity. In the Master’s hands, trials and temptations become the tuning fork of the soul. So when you stumble, when you fall, when you are hard-pressed and afflicted remember Who is in control. Be aware of your weaknesses and set your guard. Feed your faith in God by getting to know Him in His Word. Get on your knees in prayer. And rest yourself in the grace of Christ: We are instruments in the making; the music is yet to come!
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in turning my ashes into a crown of beauty, my mourning into joy, and my despair into praise (Isa. 61:3)! Thank You for providing an Advocate for me against my accuser, and working all things together for my good (Rom. 8:28). Strengthen me by Your Spirit for the trials and temptations I'm facing right now! Draw me closer to You in trust and dependence, and help me submit to Your will for my life. God, You are in control! Help me be on my guard where I am weak, in Your Word and in prayer daily, and in fellowship with my brothers and sisters as we all share in the sufferings of Christ! Amen.
Reflection Questions
- How have you seen God use a trial in your life for your good?
- All of God's saints have particular, personal temptations that beset them. How have yours driven you to God?
- Where do you need to be more "on guard" spiritually?
- In what ways have trials or temptations helped you acknowledge God's control over your life?