Triumphing in Troubles

Trouble times shall surely come in an individual's life. Every outstanding man has encountered it at one time or the other in the course of his life. If you have not encountered it, expect it, because it will come. It is a matter of time. Most of the scriptures that talks about trials uses the word ''when'' which is an adverb and it speaks about time. While we are still on the earth, trouble will be there. As long as there is life, there will be troubles, problems; as a necessary companion of life. Job said ''Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble'' (Job 14:1). Jesus addressed this issue when He said ''In the world, you shall have tribulation'' (John 16:33).
The book of James, whose main purpose was to encouraged the early Christians scattered due to persecution said ''my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing'' (James 1:2-4). The J. B Philips translation puts it more succinctly ''When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends; realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence'' (Philips). When people are passing through different kinds of trials, then you will hear different kinds of complains or cries. {I used the word ''passing through'' because these trials are not forever. They all have expiry dates) Statements such as 'oh God! Why me? Why is my own condition different? I rather die than to be in this calamity etc. well, sometimes cries helps to ease tension but does not solve any problem. Some people even go as far as pointing accusing fingers and raining curses on other people, calling them names as witches or wizards in their families as being the cause of their troubles. As if it is only their family alone that has witches or wizards. Every family on earth has witches and wizards and yet, people still succeed in spite of them. Stop looking at your own family's witches or wizards as the source of your troubles and start looking for the way out of them. Am I negating the presence and activities of witches and wizards? Of course not! But in most cases they are not the problems and for a regenerated soul, they can be a nonentity if you know your right in Christ.
Friend, the reason why God allow you to pass through that trouble, trial or test is for your promotion. Have you ever seen a student who went through his schooling programmes and became a graduate without going through the requisite examinations? Believe me, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Job etc, all had troubles of one form or another and they all came out of them. You will come out of yours too in Jesus' name. This is why James says that, 'count it all joy or don't resent (be angry) them as intruders, as they are to create endurance in you so that you will become a man of mature character to be independent'.