Grace in Trials

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:1-2 (ESV). God’s grace is felt when the Father prunes off your character, so that you can bear more fruit. To live in grace means to submit to the pruning of the Holy Spirit, as the Father sends you opportunities for growth.

There are two ways to respond to a difficult season. First, you can see it as an injustice and be frustrated with God. The second way is to respond by trusting God and learning to respond like Jesus. To see the positive potential in a trial takes self-control and an intentional attitude choice. If you will live in grace, you must see the grace in the trial and respond with grace. Remember that grace is undeserved favor, so you can respond to a trial that you don’t deserve with favor.

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (ESV). Not all trials are discipline, but all trials are opportunities to be trained and refined. All of us have the flesh demanding to be pampered. Sometimes, we have to choose to endure the pain, knowing that it will yield the fruits of righteousness, which will establish peace in our hearts and minds. When you’ve gone through significant health or life difficulties, you learn that God is good and trusting Him is your source of peace. From this knowledge, you can grow right responses, right attitudes and righteous fruits.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NLT). Troubles can come to you because you live in a world that is impacted by the fruits of death. People sin constantly around you and those sins create ripple effects of death, causing physical, emotional and relational toxicity and sickness. Trials also arrive in your life because of your own immaturity or refusal to apply the Biblical culture. Finally, tough times can be for your personal growth, not specifically as discipline for a personal fault. When you are in a trial, ask the Holy Spirit if this trial is for discipline or if it is simply an opportunity for new learning. Let the trial till up the soil of your soul, revealing any rocks that might need to be pick up or any weeds that need to be pulled. Then, take the opportunity to plant the seeds of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. Are you in a sustained sickness? Are you dealing with a toxic work environment? Consider it an opportunity for great joy because your endurance and faith have a chance to grow. James says that if you respond correctly, you will become perfect and not have any deficits in your character.

Finally, remember that every trial passes through the sovereign hand of God before it gets to you. He is responsible for the length and intensity of the trial. You can trust Him. Living in the trial is usually not His long-term plan for you. This too shall pass into your life’s rearview mirror. Look forward and see the harvest of righteousness that will be produced by how you interact with this trial. That’s how you can participate in God’s grace, as He gardens and prunes your soul’s branches.

Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, It is hard to be joyful when trials come my way. It is also difficult to see difficult situations as opportunities. Please give me extra grace when you allow me to pass through a difficult trial. I want to produce fruits of righteousness. I want to respond with hopeful expectation that you’re doing some character development and refining me. In Jesus’s name amen.”