The Purpose of Trials and Suffering

(Psalm 105:16-22)

16 

Moreover He called for a famine in the land;

He destroyed all the provision of bread.

17 

He sent a man before them—

Joseph—who was sold as a slave.

18 

They hurt his feet with fetters,

He was laid in irons.

19 

Until the time that his word came to pass,

The word of the Lord tested him.

20 

The king sent and released him,

The ruler of the people let him go free.

21 

He made him lord of his house,

And ruler of all his possessions,

22 

To bind his princes at his pleasure,

And teach his elders wisdom.

Joseph's 10 Tests
You see Joseph is such a man. He has to go through much testing, one after another God is searching for faith. God is searching for perseverance. God is searching for the total surrender. God is searching for righteousness and holiness. You see in Joseph's life all the tests were not the same, every outward humbling experience was there for a certain test. The first test was the test of faith. When God gave you a dream and a prophetic word so big and grand will you believe in it? When family members mock you, separate from you because of your destiny. When even parents rebuke you for what you received from God will you still believe God? Then was the test of injustice. What would Joseph do when deserted by his brothers, will he lived in the shadow of rejection and stay there, or will he use that as a stepping stone to the next step, continuing believe the word and operate in faith to do what he was sent to do in Egypt? Then test was the test of holiness. What will Joseph do in his private life, when there are women around with no one there. Will he give in to the sin of compromise adultery? After the master's wife tested Joseph many times, there comes another test. Then the test is the test of false accusation. Will Joseph care more about his reputation or his integrity? Which is more important to him. If he chooses everything it will undo every labor he did and loose everything again, while the temptation of sex was there. Joseph passed and was thrown to Jail. Now this was the test of despair. Now Joseph is at the lowest point of life, will he believe in God's word or live in despair when in the natural all hopes are lost completely? No he might be struck down for a moment, that hope of the prophetic word within him rises up again. He is a natural leader. He will rise again to lead even in prison. Then Joseph was tested by the 2 dreams of prisoners; another test of humility and faithfulness. Joseph told them that interpretation belongs to God, so he interpreted the dreams for them. But the baker's dream is such a difficult one. Joseph didn't hide the full meaning of the dream to the Baker, he was faithful in delivery the full message. Then Joseph was tested again by the chief bearer who left him forgotten. It was the test of abandonment. Will he again trust God for favor and open doors in the impossible again? Then Joseph was brought to the palace to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Then he faces the other test of self promotion when Pharaoh praised him. You see Joseph only says I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh favorable answer. When Pharaoh saw such a character with no trace of self, he was delighted make him a ruler over the earth. Then after becoming a ruler, Joseph was tested by his brothers. Will he harbor bitterness and use his current position to banish his own family? The last test was the test of forgiveness. Joseph wept and again opened his heart to his brothers. You see, it wasn't easy for Joseph at all, non of his trials was easy at all. And Joseph wasn't perfect either, he struggles and struggles. But he endured the test and became mighty before the eyes of God. He became the masterpiece in God's hands. So God showed off Joseph before the world.

Out of this 10 tests what is God after? A man that is full of faith, love, faithfulness, perseverance, hope, holiness, humility, and forgiveness. Take courage in every trials, they are their to produce something precious.

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Can we see that the testing our of faith is producing something precious and important? When we allow God to work this character in us the bible tells us that we will finally become mature complete and lacking nothing. I believe this is speaking in terms of our faith. Our faith can grow up to such measurement it is content in every circumstances or it can believe for the full blessings of God. We must see that we need to hold on to it and not give up. Perseverance must finish its work. If we come out too quickly from the heat, the truth of God and the faith of God will not be truly formed in our hearts. Just like an athlete working out. If he does not lift weight to a certain level, and long enough, enough repetition, the formation of his muscle will not be solid. In order for him to be a great athlete he needs to endure till the end of work our season, it is important that the athlete are fit for the contest. So are we in spiritual race.

 1 Peter 1:6-7 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

You see today our cotton candy Christianity don't talk about suffering and trials. Perhaps the Western Church has been widely deceived. We don't understand the value of every trials, we are praying to come out of it, we are pray that our lives can be easy, smoother, we don't really want a faith like gold. It is too hard difficult. We rather just take the easy route. We are impatient and lack wisdom and understanding of the ways of God. I've seen the tears of Chinese Christians who endured suffering and today God is raising them up, they've not given up because they had the revelation of the purpose of Trials, they understood god's ways. Israelites perished in the wilderness because of they didn't know the way of God. Yes they know God's acts, but they missed their full destiny, they misunderstand God's heart. Will this generation rise and take the suffering of Christ, and gladly run the race regardless of what trials we might face. Only then we can win the price from heaven a glorious crown of life, only then we'll receive praise and glory honor from the Father.