Times of Trial and Temptation
By Tom M. Roberts
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“Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Bad things happen to good people! If you are young and still live at home with your parents, you may have been shielded from a lot of life’s tragedies. If you are young enough, you may not have yet been tried and tempted. If you have not reached an “accountable” age, you may be unaware of what lies ahead. But if you live long enough, if you achieve adulthood, if you move out on your own, you will meet circumstances of life that will test your character. Some of your tests may seem to be full of pleasure, some may give you a thrill, some may make you popular with your age group, some may seem to dull your pain, some will be confusing, but how you react to these things will determine what kind of character you have inside. All should realize, first of all, that we have a spiritual enemy that is determined to cause us trouble. This is the basic source of all trials of life. Be assured that God does not want you to fail, and He will not put your life in jeopardy. Faith in God will see you through every issue of life. Godly parents who might seem to be overly strict are not your enemies. They are the ones who want you to succeed in life. But whether you like it or not, you must deal with Satan. Here is the source of all our trials and tribulations. The Bible reveals him in the Garden of Eden as the enemy of Adam and Eve who leads them into their first sin. Since that day forward, Satan has been judged and will be eternally condemned. But he wants us to be condemned along with him. We are told: “…Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Rev. 12:12). He is going to Hell and wants you to go with him. In connection with this article, please read the first chapter of the book of Job. Job was a patriarch of great godliness. Because of this, the Devil tried to destroy Job and caused him great pain and suffering. The charge that Satan made against Job was that he was a friend of God, but only because God had made him a wealthy man by blessing him. To prove that Job could not be bought, God allowed the Devil to take away his riches, his family and great possessions, but Job proved to be faithful without all those things. Mankind, me and you and Job, are thus accused of only doing good when it serves our purposes, not because we see the inherent quality of good, and choose to serve God faithfully for righteousness sake! Can you understand this principle? Christians believe and obey God simply because it is right. God is our creator and we will not allow any kind of trial or temptation to destroy our fellowship with God. Have you been tried? Has someone or something attempted to destroy your faith in God? It might be a teacher at school who teaches evolution rather than creation (Genesis 1-3). It might be a friend who tried to get you to turn away from God and your family. It might be the evil influence of really bad music that would lead you into rebellion. It might be the desire to commit fornication (engage in sex outside of marriage). It might be the desire to have money, no matter what you have to do to get it. It could even be the death of a close friend or family member. Have you been tempted to do drugs? Then you have been tempted. Have you wanted to go with friends who would drink or have parties where liquor is served? Then you are beginning to feel the ravages of temptation. Do your friends want you to dance? To steal something from the store without getting caught? To tell your parents lies and slip around at places where your parents have told you not to go? Are you tempted to drive a car too fast, to race other drivers, to break the law? You are being tried. You are being tempted. There is no way to avoid it. There is no way to evade it. You must face the trials and temptations of life, no matter how severe they become. It is our lot in life and it is when, not if, they will come your way. Now the good part. People who love God and overcome the trials and temptations of life become stronger and more able to withstand all the Devil has to offer because of your faith. James says that we are to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produce patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-3). Iron ore illustrates this Bible principle. When it comes from the earth, it looks more like dirt than anything else. But ore is put through the fires of a smelter, burning away the dross, and the result is steel that may be used in many ways for the betterment of man. Even so, the trials and tribulations of life, when met by our faith, burns away the useless part of our lives and produces a strong Christian, one that has withstood the “fiery darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). What the Devil wants to do by tempting you is to enslave and destroy you. But by your deep and abiding faith, those trials and temptations make you a better servant of God. Young person, be strong! “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). |
Blessed is the man who listens to me, |
