Embrace Your Trials

Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Hebrews 5:8

Young people are often surprised when they hear an elderly person say, “I learn something new every day.” Even more surprising is when young Christians discover Hebrews 5:8—that Jesus Christ had to learn obedience. We have the impression that because Jesus was God He didn’t need to learn anything. We forget that as Man, He identified with us in learning to trust God in times of difficulty. His learning could be thought of as “perfecting,” as Hebrews 5:9 suggests. In His suffering, Christ didn’t learn something new. Rather, He proved (perfected) His obedience to God the Father.

The same path Christ took has been laid out for all who follow Him. James 1:2 doesn’t say to be joyful “if” we encounter trials but “when.” The apostle Paul wrote that difficulties are part of the road we take to being conformed to the image of Christ, our ultimate glorification in Him (Romans 8:28-30). If Christ had to prove His commitment to the Father by obedience and trust, and if we are on the same path, we must surely do the same.

Don’t resist the trials in your life. Embrace them as opportunities to prove your faithfulness to God in all things.

The Christian is more formed from his trials than from his enjoyments.
William Jay