Standing Tall

Introduction: Amazing Grace

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness”
2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV

Human weakness presents a perfect opportunity for the manifestation of God’s divine and awesome power. In our lifetime we go through a series of trials, which often define our character, relationship and faith in Christ. A trial represents an estranged unsolicited event, circumstance or period in our life that culminates in tremendous emotional stress and a feeling of hopelessness. It is the most vulnerable and miserable state of our life. The experience can both humble and bring us to our knees or usher us into a path of continuous denial, utter disruption and catastrophe.

The American Heritage College dictionary has defined trial as a state of pain or anguish that tests patience, endurance, or belief. A trial can vary in form and degree, and can be categorized as a major or a minor trial. A major trial is one that has the potential to stretch us to our limits, and often the magnitude of the pain, anguish and challenges are enormous. For example, someone afflicted with a terminal disease, has lost his job, and is behind in his mortgage or on the verge of being homeless, and could not support his family. Worse still, in most instances, there is no apparent end in sight, at least, for the moment. It challenges one’s sense of self-worth, confidence and threatens one’s life and belief. On the other hand, a minor trial conceivably presents a significant inconvenience and oftentimes, transient with minimal potential to threaten one’s life and belief. For example, inadvertently locking oneself out of the house or the office with the car keys inside, and as a result one gets a speeding ticket while hurrying to make up for the lost time and consequently is late or missed a doctor’s appointment.

Temptation on the other hand, is defined as the act of tempting or being tempted or enticed into doing something that is recognized as morally inappropriate or wrong. The course and the aftermath of temptation, unlike trial, can be mostly dictated by human choices, particularly with respect to the outcome. Conversely, temptation and trial are common because both have elements of pain, anxiety, and emotions that test patience, endurance and belief, especially when one succumbs to the former. Temptation can also vary in form and magnitude. For example, a plot to commit a murder or armed robbery is a major temptation, whereas the urge to have just another jelly doughnut between weight control exercises can be classified as minor. For the course of this book, the emphasis would be on major temptations and trials, particularly those that appear to challenge and threaten our faith in Christ.

Christians should not consider it strange when they face temptations and trials of many kinds; for they help to define our identity in God. It is written in 1 Corinthians 10:13:
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you
can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out
that you can stand under it.”
In reality, God did not promise us that we are not going to face temptations or trials of all kinds. However, He promised to be with us at all times during the trial or temptation by granting us a supernatural strength to persevere, an everlasting peace through the course of the adverse circumstance in our lives, and the grace to overcome through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Temptation by itself is not sin, but we sin when we concede to it. Christ was tempted in every way but he did not sin (Matthew 4:1-11). He derived strength from the word of God and the promise of His heavenly father. If God permitted His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to be tempted and go through all kinds of trials, it is imperative that we are not shielded from these. Just like God stood by His son at the very hour of need, He would not leave us nor forsake us, as long as we continue to place our faith and trust in Him. Unlike man, God is very faithful and does not break His promises. Through His mighty powers and grace, He will enable us to go through the trial or temptation without falling apart.

God does not tempt us, but we are drawn into temptation by our own greed, depravity, covetousness and evil desires. He is holy and sin is not synonymous with His very nature. In James 1:13-15 it says:
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me,” For God
cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is
tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is
full-grown, gives birth to death.”
Sometimes, God can permit a trial or a temptation in our lives to confirm our faith in Him or to demonstrate proof of our commitment towards Him. For example, God allowed Abraham to be tested in Genesis 22:1-14 by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Abraham obeyed God, and after the testing came bountiful blessings from God. He obeyed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness. Abraham recognized that everything belongs to God, even his very life. He knew that God cannot be wrong. He obeyed God’s commands unswervingly and without questions or expression of concern. There was no outward manifestation of grief, anger or disappointment towards God. Abraham’s relationship with God was that of complete acceptance and total trust. Abraham pleased God, and He called him His friend.

Satan, unlike God, tempts us to make us fall and predispose us for destruction. He wants us to lose favor with God. This is his primary aspiration. He tempted Christ to make Him fall and derail God’s eternal plan for our salvation. Thank God for the victory at the Cross in Calvary. Satan is a master of deceit, and particularly targets the feeble-minded that is not rooted in the word of God nor have a full knowledge of His grace. The devil knows that we are fallible and cannot stand against him on our own accord. Therefore, he tries to isolate us from the presence of God by appealing to our innate desires of the flesh and lust of the eye. As indicated earlier, when sinful desires overwhelm our sense of judgment and discernment of God’s wills for us, it leads to sin; and sin when it matures leads to death. It is worthy of note that not most trials stem from our evil desires and lust; sometimes Satan attacks us without out warning to frustrate us, make us fall and turn our attention away from God. Satan can attack us through our health, business, children, relatives, job and or possessions.

Our heavenly father recognized our weaknesses as human, and at the due time He unfolded His eternal plan for our salvation through Christ. God is holy and has a righteous requirement for our redemption. Jesus was a perfect offering for our sins, and is the only one that can deliver us from condemnation and from the ugly grips of Satan. Therefore, we can find abundant grace and peace, even when we face all kinds of trials. We need to humbly proclaim Him as our Lord and Personal Savior, and accept the grace and mercy He has richly bestowed upon us.