Trials and Temptations

Last year on the Sunday after my surgery I was unable to attend all three hours of church. I went to Sacrament meeting and then Brett brought me home and went back for Sunday School and Priesthood.

At home I turned on BYU-TV and watched a rebroadcast of the prior week’s devotional at BYU-Idaho – “Know Ye Not That Ye Are in the Hands of God?” by Sister Kristie Lords, Student Honor Office Director. She spoke of trials and five principles that have given her perspective during her trials. Her third principle stood out to me:

God will not test us beyond the limits He knows what we can bear, which I have found, is nearly always beyond what we are comfortable with.

In connection with that principle she quoted 1 Corinthians 10:13, but changed the word “temptation” to “trial” so that it would read:

There hath no [trial] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be [tried] above that ye are able; but will with the [trial] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I had never thought of trials as temptations. But they suddenly seemed very similar. When we are suffering trials we are often tempted to give up faith and hope, to give in to pride and anger, to blame God rather than turning to Him. The temptations we feel are trials of our conversion and testimony. But God will strengthen us to bear the trials and temptations we face.

I have been strengthened in all my trials. All of them have pushed me beyond my comfort, beyond where I would’ve drawn a line in the sand, beyond where I thought my strength extended. And as such all have made me grow stronger and especially grow closer to God. I hope I can always recognize that “way to escape” that is prepared for me in my trials and temptations.