Trial by Fire

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

– 2 Thessalonians 2:15

It’s been about 2,000 years since the apostle Paul sent this admonition to the embattled church at Thessalonica — a group of Believers living in what’s now northern Greece. Aren’t his words just as relevant to modern-day Christ-followers like you and me? Surf the web and turn on the TV these days and try to avoid the stormy headlines about political turmoil, natural disasters, and military conflicts. It’s by understanding God’s message to us through the Bible that we can put it all into perspective and continue walking the narrow path of the Kingdom.

Whether the storms are literal or figurative, Believers can count on facing them. And there’s no escape — even after we’ve switched off the smartphone and changed the TV channel. For some people that storm might be a job loss or financial setback. For others it’s a chronic illness or the prospect of major surgery. Or maybe the trouble involves family or relationship issues like a divorce or the loss of a loved one. In our fallen world, these trials by fire are a harsh reality of the human experience.

Christ-followers, however, have the hope of better days ahead. That’s because we worship a God who’s much greater than our circumstances, no matter how discouraging they may be. Ours is a Creator who literally spoke the universe into existence, formed great mountain ranges with his hands, and parted the seas with a breath.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” asks the writer of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

So, let’s take God at his word. His reassuring message to us is that he works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purposes. But let’s also remember that we’re not exempt from storms and setbacks once we turn over our lives to Jesus. What does change, however, is that eternal assurance that helps us endure any difficulty or trial — trivial or immense. 

“Why are you afraid?” Christ once asked his apostles. “Do you still have no faith?"

In one form or another, the storms of life surround everyone. The lightning flashes and the thunder rumbles. But for Christ-followers, it's blue skies on the horizon while our trials by fire refine our faith. With that in mind, let’s embrace Jesus’ message to us through Matthew 6:34:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”