Exulting in Tribulation
BY JOSEPH SAHL
Romans 5:3-5 Problems and difficulties are characteristic of mankind. Believer and non-believer alike have to face trials, afflictions, heartaches, depressions, distresses, disappointments, frustrations. We each try to find ways to cope with such overwhelming circumstances.
Many people do so by escaping. They seek temporary relief from entertainment, sports, travelling or alcohol or drugs. Others simply deny reality, fooling themselves into be
lieving that their trials really don't exist. So intense is their denial that they sometimes end up in mental hospitals. Then, there are those who are the sturdy stock; they just grin and bear it.Amazingly, none of those is the response of the child of God. Listen to what Paul says in Romans 5:1-3a on this subject:
Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations.Believers exult in their tribulations! To better understand this, let's put that remark in context.In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul has explained in some detail the way God has graciously provided redemption to believers through the work of Jesus Christ. He then begins this chapter by declaring that in light of this magnificent reality, the people of God can enjoy certain sure things.
The certainties. To start with, he says, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We believers are no longer at war with God. And by faith, we have been introduced to the Father so that we can now come freely before the throne of grace. And we also exult in the hope of the glory of God. We can joyfully and confidently look forward to the day when we behold God face to face, even as we are transformed into the very image of Christ.
But wait a minute, says Paul, there's something more. "And not only this, but we exult in our tribulations."
Notice that Paul is not saying that exulting in tribulations is something you and I ought to strive for. It is a reality in the life of the believerjust as real as the fact that we are at peace with God, that we have gained access to the grace of God, and that we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. None of these realities is based on what we do. They all come from the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What it is not
Having laid that foundation, we need to determine what Paul means when he says we exult or boast in our tribulations. Incidentally, "tribulation" is a broad word. It has the basic idea of being pressured or hemmed in, and of confinement or affliction. It is a word that covers all of the trials and difficulties that come into the life of a believer.in spite of trials. Notice first, Paul did not say, "We exult in spite of our tribulations." There are many who face trials that way. They say: "Well, everybody has to have some difficulty in their life. I have many good things and those good things far outweigh my bad things, and so I can boast in spite of my trials."
The trouble with such a response is that when the bad things weigh heavily on the heart, as they often do, those people will find it difficult to remember the good things. Before long, they develop a spirit of bitterness.
resigned to trails. Nor is Paul saying that we boast in resignation to our tribulations. He's not looking at the stoic approach to life that bears up under trials, taking whatever is given.
Haven't you heard people say, "Well, praise God anyway"? That isn't what Paul's talking about. In fact, that is a rebellious and blasphemous remark, because it effectively says: "Well, here I am and God has blown it. He hasn't handled the situation the way He should have. But I'm a big individual and so, I'm going to praise Him anyway."
No. We have too much of that in the church of Jesus Christ, murmuring and complaining and moaning and groaning, having our little pity parties and wanting everybody to say: "You're right, you've had it hard."
During trials. Nor does Paul say, "We exult during our tribulations." There is a philosophy in the Christian community that somewhat resembles the idea of exulting in spite of trials. It says that the best way to handle difficulties is to think on good things. As you do so, you'll be able to bear up under the time of heartache. But that isn't what Paul is saying.
He says, "We exult in our tribulations." That little word "in" is important. It's the same idea as when I say, "I exult in my wife." That doesn't mean that I put up with her, that I say something nice about her in spite of her, or that I try to think of nice things about her when she's such a crotchety old nag. (I don't mean that concerning my wife!)
Rather, it means that I boast about her. She's the focus of my rejoicing. And in the same way, the child of God boasts and rejoices about his tribulation. He is excited about the trial and the difficulty that has come. That's what Paul is saying here. That is to be true of all God's people.
Biblical Examples
Can believers really exult in their tribulations? Yes, indeed. There are many examples of that in the Bible. Let me cite just a few:Job. First, let's look at Job. Got problems with finances? He lost everything. Hit by the death of a loved one? He lost all ten of his children in one day. Got troubles with your wife? His wife told him to curse God and die.
After all that, Job said, "I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (1:21). He blessed the name of the Lord. He praised God.
The apostles. Next, let's go to Acts 5. The apostles were arrested and put in jail because they had been teaching the things of Christ in the temple. That night, an angel of the Lord came and set them free. They resumed preaching in the temple the next morning, and were arrested again. And before they were finally let go, they were flogged.
Now, notice what verse 41 says: "And so they went on their way from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer for his name." They exulted in their afflictions.
In Acts 16, we find Paul and Silas also having been arrested and thrown into prison. Before that, they had been stripped and beaten and severely flogged. Then, we read in verse 25: "And about midnight Paul and Silas were praying, and singing hymns of praise to God."
Other believers. This kind of positive response to persecution was by no means limited only to the apostles and a few special men of God. Look at Hebrews 10:32-34:
The child of God has this supernatural response because he possesses a mind set that the man of this world But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property.Isn't that amazing? They lost their job. They had their earthly possessions taken away. And they accepted all that joyfully.Now, be sure we understand that these believers did not enjoy their pain and losses. When Paul was dragged out of the city and stoned to death, he didn't have a big laugh and say, "This is wonderful! Throw another rock." That's mental derangement.
No. God's people don't deny reality. They don't relish afflictions. The cancer that consumes the body of the believer hurts just as much as the unbeliever. That's why Hebrews 12:11 tells us that no chastening for the moment seems joyous, but grievous. So, don't expect God to do some special work in us believers to make these things feel good so that we boast about them.
Sanctification Process
Rather, there should be genuine rejoicing and thanksgiving in the midst of pain on the part of the believer. Why? Paul explains in Romans 5:3-5:And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.Paul is saying that the child of God has this supernatural, uncharacteristic response because he possesses a mind set that the man of this world knows nothing about. It's a perspective that hehaving been given the Holy Spirithas on life, on his God, on his own condition that the unsaved can never know.Look at Psalm 119. In verse 71, the psalmist says, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted" What a mind set! And why does he consider his affliction good? "that I may learn Thy statutes."
The child of God understands that every trial that comes into his life is part of the process that God uses to teach him, to sanctify him and to ultimately bring him to glory. He rejoices because he has this magnificent hope of glory in front of him.
James. This same concept is developed by James, who writes:
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (1:2-4)We consider it all joy when we are in the midst of difficulties because we know that God is in the process of refining us. He is helping us develop endurance so that eventually we may be perfect and complete.Peter. The apostle Peter also underscores this truth when he writes in I Peter 4:12-14:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exultation. For if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed.If persecution is a portion in your life, he says, then you can take comfort in knowing that you have been set apart from the rest of mankind, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. It shows that you are an object of God's special grace and care.Hebrews 12:7,8 elaborates on this: "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without disciplinethen you are illegitimate children and not sons."
What a joy it is to know that we believers are being treated by God as his sons, not illegitimate children. So, instead of murmuring and complaining, we approve ourselves to be the children of God among a perverse and evil generation by continually rejoicing in our tribulations.
Supernatural. Now, some people will say: "I don't believe it. It's just not possible for people to rejoice in difficulties. It's unnatural."
But we're not talking about something that's natural. We're talking about Christianity. We're talking about the work of God within the heart of man. We're talking about the undergirding grace of God within the life of a believer. God has done all that in us so that by our joyful response to tribulations, He is glorified.
Now, to the man of the world, that sounds horrible. He immediately gets the picture that God is some big bully who is pushing His people on the earth around so He can be glorified.
Not so for the child of God. The greatest desire of a believer is to bring glory to the Lord who has redeemed him from his sin and placed before him the hope of eternal glory. He delights in bringing glory to his Redeemer. And exulting in his tribulations is one way to do so.
So, we have to get out of the self-centered view of life. We need to see the Lord high and lifted up and exalted. We need to behold Him in His splendor and His glory, and see that He is worthy to be praised. We need to joyfully praise God that in this trial and tribulation, we have an opportunity of praising His glorious name. o
Rev. Joseph Sahl is pastor of Believers Fellowship, 13714 Lookout Road, San Antonio, TX 78233.