Trial Or Temptation?

May 16, 2023

A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a young woman. She said “I don’t know why God keeps giving me all of these trials.” To which I replied, “Are they trials, or are they temptations?”

In James 1:2-3, the Bible says,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

- James 1:2-3

A trial is a testing of our faith. It is used by God for our growth, and to draw us closer to Him.

Trials come in many ways, but they typically come in the form of an outside force beyond our control. A cancer diagnosis or loss of a job are life crises, but God is sovereign over those times. We learn to persevere and, oftentimes, we look back and see how He led us through our trial. Then we have a deeper understanding of His love for us!

Job stood firm under trial. God allowed Satan to take his health, his family, and his wealth. In the end, he gained a greater understanding of God’s sovereignty and was blessed with even more than before.

So now that we’ve clarified trials, let’s look at temptation. Temptation is internal.

You may struggle with lying, lust, stealing, or angry outbursts. Once again the book of James clarifies in chapter 1 verses 13-14,

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

- James 1:13-14

God never tempts us! It really is “the devil who made me do it!”

Look at King David and his example of falling to temptation. He saw Bathsheba bathing, and even though they were both married, he acted on the temptation and sinned. His action led to further temptation. He covered up his sin and had Uriah killed. Falling to temptation leads to sin, which snowballs to more sin, until we either blame God for our misfortune or we turn, repent and are reconciled to Him.

The question I’ve been thinking about is: “Why do we so easily attribute temptations to trials?”

Standing up to temptation makes us stronger and more like Jesus! A trial teaches us to persevere, which, guess what, also makes us more like Jesus!

Trials are a time for us to draw closer to God, to lean on Him, and to seek His will. James 1:12 says,

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

- James 1:12

I don’t know whether you’re in the middle of a trial today, or wavering on falling to temptation, but today, my challenge to all of us is this: Draw near to Jesus! He can help you endure or overcome. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you find a way out of temptation or to give you comfort and perseverance in the trial.