"The Awesome Power of Endurance" in American Sign LanguageSample

The Purpose Behind Your Problems
By Rick Warren

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” (1 Peter 1:7a NLT)

In order to understand or endure anything, you’ve got to have a reason behind it. People can understand or endure almost anything if they know there’s a purpose. But when they don’t see a purpose behind it, they collapse.

The Bible says this about God’s purpose behind our problems: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold” (1 Peter 1:7a NLT).

People come into your life who often mean things for bad. But God can bring good even out of bad. And God’s purpose behind your problems is always greater than any problem you’re going to go through. In fact, the Bible tell us in James 1:3-4, “The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (NIV).

The way we grow to maturity is by learning to endure. The way we become complete — not perfect but mature in Christ — is by learning to endure trials, temptations, delays, dead ends, and difficulties.

I don’t know what you’re going through today. But the Bible says that we should “have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4 NCV).

We can rejoice in our suffering not because of what it does to us but because of what we know about it: Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character.

When God tests you, know that his purpose is to make you more complete in Christ.

Talk It Over

What has God taught you through the trials you have experienced?

What does it mean to endure something?

How can you display joy in the midst of your troubles?