Tribulations

Tribulations Build Humility

We advance toward humility by means of trials. He who rests on his virtue without suffering tribulation has the door of pride open before him. -- St. Isaac of Syria, Homily 57, in Ascetical Homilies, p. 283, 7th century

Suffering Increases Faith

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God's glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God's wrath. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation. -- Romans 5:1-11(NET)

But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman — I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus (blessed be he for ever!) knows that I do not lie. In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas set a guard on the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows — was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. -- 2 Cor 11:21-33;12:1-9 (NRSV)

God Is With Us

Joseph faced many tribulations. He was sold into slavery. He was falsely accused. He was thrown into prison. He suffered unjustly, and yet in all this we are told that God was with him (Gen 39:2; 39:21).

In the above passage (2 Cor 11:21-33;12:1-9) we know that Paul was an Apostle of Christ, yet although God was with him, he suffered many tribulations. Consider the fate of the Apostles:

Peter was crucified in Rome, 66 A.D.

Andrew was crucified in Achea, Greece around 70 A.D.

James the Greater, son of Zebedee, was beheaded in Jerusalem, 44 A.D.

James the Lesser was crucified in Egypt, and his body was sawn in pieces.

John died in exile on the Isle of Patmos, 96 A.D.

Phillip was crucified at Heirapole, Phryga, 52 A.D.

Bartholomew was flayed, crucified, then beheaded in Albania, 52 A.D.

Thomas was tortured and finally slain with spears at Chennai (Modern Southeast India), around 50 A.D.

Matthew was slain by being burned alive in Ethiopia about 60 A.D.

James son of Alphaeus was crucified in Egypt, circa 60 A.D.

Thaddeus was crucified then killed by being shot by arrows, Lebanon 65 A.D.

Simon was crucified in Abkhazia (Georgia), 74 A.D.

Barnabas was stoned to death in Cyprus, circa 60 A.D.

What greater, more faithful Christians could there be other than the Apostles? Yet they suffered greatly.

And let us not forget the thousands of Christians who have been imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and killed over the centuries for their belief. Even in recent times the Greeks have suffered under the Ottomans; Eastern Europeans and Russians have been oppressed under communism; Christian Arabs have been treated cruelly by both Muslims and Jews in the Middle East; and most recently Christians are even now suffering in Sudan, Indonesia, and the Phillipines.

Many times people pray to be delivered from their tribulations, and when they are not, they assume that their prayers are not answered. But Jesus did not promise that we would receive everything we asked for in prayer, but that we would receive the Holy Spirit (Luke 11). God gives us that which is spiritually profitable for us, not necessarily what we want. Indeed, it would be a terrible world to live in if we were given everything we asked for by God, as if prayer were some sort of magical incantation.

See Also

Faith