Praying for Trials?!?

I prayed for trials.

Nearly every person that I told of my prayer was surprised. "Why would you pray for something like that?" "That's a strange thing to pray for." "Trials are going to come anyways, so why pray for them to come?" It made me question my motives. Why would I pray for something like that?

Last fall semester I decided to pray for trials. I'm not some kind of masochist. Neither am I some super spiritual person that has transcended to an elite spiritual plane. What I am is someone who knows what the scriptures say about trials. There are trials that men in scripture rejoice in.

Romans 5:3-5 says: "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 was given to us."

Exulting in trials sounds unusual. Why would one rejoice in something painful? But as I read through that list.. it looks like there are some major benefits.

Romans 8:18 says: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

When I consider a trial in the light of eternity.. the trial gets significantly smaller. The beauty and majesty of what is to come though difficult to see at times, looks all the more beautiful when the Lord gets us through a trial.

Then I see these verses in James that really hit me hard.. James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

So... trials will produce perseverance.. which must finish its work, so that I may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. That is a rather positive view on trials. The benefits that happen make the temporary pain of the trial look less significant.

Well, the Lord did give me a trial. At the start of the spring semester this year, I went through an ordeal that caused huge amounts of stress in my life. It was not long after this event that I started experiencing health problems. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with an intestinal disease. Stress was a big cause of this. I was a little alarmed by this trial coming into my life. This didn't look like a quick trial at all. Yes, I wanted the Lord to refine me.. but couldn't we do this the quick and painful way.. and not the long and painful way?

I started to worry a little. I feel that the Lord may want to use my business abilities overseas in the near future. This diagnosis though.. felt like it might complicate my plans. However the Lord keeps reminding me of a particular verse..

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Did my disease somehow complicate God's plan? Not in the least. He just wants me to trust Him. The Lord has helped me in this trial to trust Him more. Though I can't say that praying for trials is what everyone should do, I can honestly say that I am thankful I did. The Lord will not allow a trial to overwhelm me or go beyond what I can endure. He receives glory when I repeat back His words to Him.. "My grace is sufficient for you". I pray that the Lord is using a trial like this to prepare me for far greater trials ahead. For if I one day am tortured for my faith and at the point of death at the hands of wicked men in a far away land, it will be because of the maturing and completing that the Lord has done in the trials leading up to that, so that I can still say in that dark hour.. Jesus.. your grace is sufficient for me.