When Trials Come
Pastor Tan Thai · Mar 15, 2020
This sermon from James 1:1-12 reminds believers that trials are certain to come in the Christian life, and their purpose is to help believers grow in faith and maturity. In times of trial, we are called to seek God's wisdom without doubting, and to trust His promise of the crown of life.
This sermon was preached on March 15, 2020, in the context of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic. The pastor introduced the message by reminding the congregation — many of whom had personally survived war, boat escapes, and the hardships of life in a foreign land — that trials are not foreign to the believer. Jesus's words in John 16:33 were quoted as the foundation: though believers will face tribulation in the world, they can take heart because He has overcome the world.
The central section of the sermon expounds James 1:2-4, emphasizing that trials are not accidental but certain for believers — coming from every direction and without warning. Yet the purpose of trials is not to destroy but to produce endurance and lead to complete maturity. Two vivid illustrations were used: a mother eagle stirring up her nest so her eaglets would learn to fly, and a butterfly that must struggle out of its cocoon on its own — if helped prematurely, it will never fly. These illustrations clarify that trials are the necessary process through which believers are refined.
James 1:5-8 was expounded with the encouragement to ask God for wisdom when the purpose of a trial is unclear. God gives generously and without reproach. However, those who ask must believe without doubting — not being double-minded, wavering between their own will and God's will. The pastor cited Victor Frankl, a psychologist and Holocaust survivor, to underscore that those who understand their purpose in life can endure almost any difficulty.
The closing section focuses on the promise of James 1:12 — the crown of life promised to those who persevere under trial. The motivation for endurance is not personal willpower but love for God (agapeo). Two tree illustrations were used to conclude: the Ténéré tree in the Sahara Desert survived 300 years by sending roots 120 feet deep to an underground water source, while the giant redwoods of California stand tall not because of deep roots but because of roots that spread widely. Both speak to the necessity of being deeply rooted and broadly connected in God to stand firm through every trial.
The sermon calls the congregation not to flee from trials or become embittered, but to trust that God is using trials to build spiritual character. The ultimate goal is that the fruit of the Spirit may be evident in everyday life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control.