A Short Course on the Significance of Suffering – Part Three

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”  James 1: 2, 3

The text refers to “various” or “diverse” trials.

In order not to make robots out of us God allows diversity in personalities and predicaments. How you look at a thing is important. The word means different or assorted ways.

Preset the control board of your mind to expect various adversity. Your assortment of suffering may make you look like a walking Baskin-Robbins of trials. However, as you step into every new never-been-lived-before day, face it knowing any day above ground is a good day.

Consider these philosophical responses to trials.

A man fell in a pit and couldn’t get out.       

A subjective person came along and said:
“I feel for you down there.”

An objective person came along and said:
“It’s logical that someone would fall down there.”

A Pharisee said:
“Only bad people fall into pits.”

A mathematician 
calculated how he fell into the pit.

A news reporter
wanted an exclusive story on the pit.

A fundamentalist said:
“You deserve the pit.”

A charismatic said:
“Just confess that you are not in a pit.”

An I.R.S man
asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.

A self-pitying person said:
“You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit.”

An optimist said:
“Things could be worse.”

A pessimist said:
“Things will get worse.”

Jesus, seeing the person in the pit took him by the hand and lifted him out.

You may have had a variety of advisors regarding your time in your “pit,” but Jesus does more than advise us, He lifts us when we trust Him.

He takes no pleasure in you being in a pit, but he doesn’t want you to merely be in a pity-party. He wants you to align with Him and be lifted. Tell Him now if you need picking-up.