Passing the Test: Turning Trials Into Triumph

/ Sandra Bivens Smith

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Although I have been out of school going on 60 years, I can still recall those painful nights of studying for a test. I say “painful” because my dad, being one who put great stock in learning, was my tutor. He would quiz me for what seemed like hours until I either got every answer right or I ran from the room in tears. Little did I realize how, in those painful study sessions, dad was not only preparing me for the test I would be having in school, he was preparing me for the difficult, and sometimes more painful tests of life. Daddy didn’t pressure me to learn because he was cruel, on the contrary, he did it because he loved me and wanted only the best for me. Just as  my earthly father helped to prepare me for my test at school, my Heavenly Father, through the trials He sends and through the tutorship of His Word, prepares me for all of life.

Becoming a Christian is easy, being a Christian, not so much. Jesus Himself told us this in John 16:33, “…In the world you have tribulation…”There is a saying “you are either coming out of a trial, in a trial, or getting ready to go through a trial”. That pretty much sums up life doesn’t it? Even the Christian life? Yes, even the Christian life, especially the Christian life. 

When James tells us to count our trials as joy, he is telling us that it’s not about the size or even the severity of our trial, it’s about our attitude. Look at the rest of John 16:33 “…but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Whatever testing we may be going through, Jesus has gone before us and He has already won the victory on our behalf. 

Maybe you have wondered, as I have, why God would make His children go through hard times. God tells us why in 2 Chronicles 32:31, it says “God left him to test him that he [we] might know all that was in his [our] heart.” God knows us. He knows all about us. He doesn’t test us so He can know but so we can. God sends us trials to  test our faith and reveal to us:

  1. The strength of our faith (whether we press on or give up.) 
  2. The character of our faith (whether we face the trial with confidence or go crawl under the covers.)
  3. The humility of our faith (whether we try to go it on our own or turn it over to God)
  4. The focus of our faith. (whether we are engulfed by worldly things or things set above). 
  5. The affections of our faith. (Our trials test what we really love.)

Knowledge is power. So then, our trials, having revealed the measure of our faith, inform and empower us to do what is needed to strengthen our faith. After all, isn’t stronger faith the goal? Remember the little boy’s father in Mark 9, “I believe; help my unbelief”? (Mark 9:24b)

Trials cannot destroy true faith because true faith is a gift from God, and true saving faith is forever. We are secure because God has given us an undying faith.  

Trials most often come without warning. They can cause us to feel overwhelmed, as if we are drowning – going down for the third time. We struggle against them until we realize that there’s no way out but through. And yet, James tells us to “consider it all joy”? How do we do that? We look upward and forward. We look ahead to what God is doing. We look beyond the temporal to the eternal. I think Paul put it this way – keep your eyes on the prize [my translation]. 

James gives us five things that are required for us to persevere through our trials. If we commit to put these disciplines into practice James tells us we will not simply endure the trials, we will be blessed in them (v.12).  

Five things that are required. 

  1. A  joyous attitude. v.2
  2. An understanding mind. v.3-4
  3. A submissive will. v.5
  4. A believing heart. v.6-8
  5. A humble spirit. v.9-11

We are not in this alone. Remember, our Father is sovereign and He meets the needs of His own. God is always with us and He has a plan. He is powerful enough to work that plan. He is wise enough that we can be confident it is the right plan. He is faithful and will never put us through something that He doesn’t give us the grace to endure.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”.

Philippians 4:19

Faith is a gift from God. The kind of faith He gives endures the test. The more faith is tested, the more it’s proven. And the more it’s proven, the more confidence you enjoy in that faith, and the stronger your hope becomes. True faith will persevere, it doesn’t matter what happens. One of the things that trials do to us is put us in a position where no human resources can solve the problem. Our senses tell us to value pleasure, to value what makes us happy – Faith teaches us to value God and His work. Sense tells us to value earthly security, earthly protection, earthly support – Faith tells us to value divine grace poured out in the midst of suffering.

In Psalm 81:10 we read, “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt,” “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” Don’t you like that? That’s how God is. He doesn’t say, “Here’s a morsel you undeserving wretch.” He says, “Open your mouth as wide as you can and I will fill you.”

God doesn’t want us to simply survive the test; His desire is for us to come out on the other side triumphantly. To do that we need to know who our God is. We need to have a sound understanding of His nature.

Our God is:

Immutable. He doesn’t change, He doesn’t alter. The character of God is fixed and established. He doesn’t need to change, never has, never will. 

Sovereign. There is no power that can thwart His plan.

Faithful. He is the strength of your heart. He will fill you with joy and courage when you put your trust in Him. 

George Whitefield said, “All trials are for two ends, that we may be better acquainted with the Lord Jesus and better acquainted with our own hearts.” Seems to me those could be pretty good words to remember when we are struggling to turn our trials into triumphs. 

For Further Encouragement 

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.” (Psalm 37:7)

“O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.” (Psalm 131)

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”.  (Isaiah 40:28-30)

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”. (Matthew 5:10-11)

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full”. (John 15:11)

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”. (Romans 5:3-5)

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.  (1 Peter 5:10)

*This devotion was inspired by a sermon series “How to Endure Trials”, John MacArthur, 1999.

Grace and Peace,

Sandra

Led by the Spirit, Not by Feelings: Learning to Follow God’s Voice Over Emotion

/ Mikki Halbach

Have you ever made a decision in the heat of the moment — maybe said something you regretted, jumped into a relationship too quickly, or walked away from something God actually wanted you to stick with?


We’ve all been there. Our emotions, while God-given, can be incredibly misleading. One day we’re passionate and bold, the next we’re anxious and unsure. And if we rely on those feelings to guide our lives, we’ll end up tossed around like waves in the sea. But here’s the good news: we don’t have to live that way. God has given us the Holy Spirit — not just to comfort us but to lead us. His Spirit is steady, wise, and always aligns with truth. So, what does it really means to be led by the Holy Spirit instead of our emotions?


Your Feelings Are Real — But Not Always Right


“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand
it?” — Jeremiah 17:9

Feelings are not inherently bad. God created us with emotions. But problems arise when we treat our feelings as facts or believe they define truth. Think about it: how many times have your feelings changed in a single day? We must acknowledge our emotions but not elevate them above God’s Word or His Spirit. Emotions make great messengers, but terrible masters.

The Holy Spirit Is Your True Guide


“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” — Romans
8:14

The Holy Spirit is not just a vague presence or “gut feeling.” He’s a Person — God with
us — and He desires to lead us daily. He speaks through Scripture, through peace,
through conviction, and through wise counsel.

When we’re Spirit-led, we make decisions rooted in faith, not fear. We respond with
grace instead of impulse. We live not based on what feels good in the moment, but on
what brings lasting fruit.


How to Know if You’re Being Led by Feelings or the Spirit
Here’s a quick heart check:

Signs You Might Be Led by Emotion:

  • You’re acting quickly, impulsively.
  • Your decision is rooted in fear, anxiety, or pride.
  • You’re ignoring wise counsel or God’s Word.
  • You don’t have peace — just pressure.

Signs You’re Being Led by the Holy Spirit:

  • You feel peace, even if the decision is hard.
  • It aligns with Scripture.
  • It’s confirmed in prayer.
  • It brings clarity, not confusion.


God is not a God of chaos. His Spirit leads with peace, even in storms.

So, How Do I Walk by the Spirit?


“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” —
Galatians 5:16

Walking by the Spirit is less about one big moment and more about a daily lifestyle of surrender and sensitivity. Here are a few ways to grow in that:

  • Start your day with surrender. Before the chaos hits, ask the Spirit to lead you.
  • Stay in the Word. The Spirit uses Scripture to guide and correct us.
  • Pause before reacting. A few seconds for a prayerful pause can make all the difference.
  • Seek wise counsel. Spirit-filled friends can help you discern God’s direction.
  • Listen in prayer. Don’t just talk to God — create quiet space to hear from Him.

You Can Live with Confidence and Clarity

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind
you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” — Isaiah 30:21

If you’ve been feeling lost, tossed by your emotions, or stuck in indecision — take heart. God wants to lead you. He’s not hiding His will. His Spirit is already at work, gently guiding, whispering truth, and bringing peace. It’s okay to feel deeply — but we must follow wisely. When we’re led by the Spirit, we walk in freedom, confidence, and purpose.


Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I surrender my thoughts, emotions, and decisions to You. Help me not
to react out of fear or impulse, but to wait on Your voice. Quiet my soul and tune
my heart to Your truth. Lead me in Your peace and power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Heart Sister,
Mikki 💜

Comforted to Comfort: Finding Purpose in the Pain

/ Mikki Halbach / 1 Comment

– A Reflection on 2 Corinthians 1:3–11

Have you ever looked up at God and asked, “Why this? Why now? Why me?”

If you have, you’re not alone. Suffering and struggle are things every believer walks through, yet they often leave us feeling isolated or even confused about God’s presence and purpose.

In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Harold Kushner suggested that maybe God can’t do everything—maybe some suffering is just fate. While that theory attempts to explain pain, it ultimately leaves us hopeless.

Thankfully, Scripture offers something much more comforting—and far more powerful. In 2 Corinthians 1:3–11, the Apostle Paul gives us real answers. He doesn’t sugarcoat the pain of life, but he shows us how our suffering can become the very tool God uses to reveal His presence, build endurance, and connect us with others.

”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.”

Let’s walk through what Paul shares and discover seven reasons God might allow suffering in our lives.

#1- Suffering Helps Us Reflect on Christ’s Love to Share it with Others

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort…” (v. 3)

Before Paul explains anything else, he starts by praising God for who He is: the God of all comfort. That means no matter what kind of suffering we face—grief, stress, sickness, betrayal, fear—He has comfort for it. He doesn’t just see our pain; He enters it. He is compassionate, present, and faithful.

“…, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (v. 4)

When God comforts us in hardship, it’s not just for our benefit—it equips us to extend that same comfort to someone else. Our pain has purpose. It becomes the bridge between their need and God’s love.

#2- Suffering Teaches Us Endurance

“…which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer …” (v. 6)

Endurance isn’t something we’re born with—it’s built. And suffering is the weight room of the soul. Through pain, we learn to persevere in faith, to wait well, and to remain grounded even when life is stormy.

#3- Suffering Exposes Our Weakness

“…that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” (v. 8)

Even Paul—missionary, miracle-worker, writer of Scripture—hit a wall. He had nothing left. Why is that good news? Because weakness is the place where God’s strength begins. When we finally admit, “I can’t,” we hear God whisper, “I can.”

#4- Suffering Reveals Our Need for God

“…that we should not trust in ourselves…” (v. 9)

Suffering has a way of pulling the rug out from under our self-reliance. When life is easy, it’s tempting to think we’re in control. But hard seasons gently push us back into God’s arms, where real security and peace are found.

#5- Suffering Affirms the Power of God

“…but in God who raises the dead.” (v. 9)

God’s not just a comforter—He’s a resurrector. If He can raise the dead, He can breathe life into the driest, most hopeless places in your story. His power is not theoretical; it’s proven.

#6- Suffering Builds Our Trust in God

“who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us …” (v. 10)

Looking back at God’s faithfulness helps us trust Him in the present. Paul isn’t guessing—he knows God will show up because He’s done it before. We all need those “marker moments” in our lives to look back on and say, “God met me there.”

#7- Suffering Ultimately Glorifies God

“you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on]our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.” (v. 11)

When others see God carry you through something hard, their faith grows too. Your story—yes, even the messy parts—can lead someone else to praise God. What a beautiful gift.

Your Pain Has Purpose

Remember verse 3, Paul calls Him “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.” He is not just a comforting God—He is the source of comfort itself. He doesn’t offer empty words or temporary fixes. He meets us right where it hurts.

If you’re walking through something heavy right now, let me remind you: God sees you. He’s with you. And He’s using even this to draw you closer, make you stronger, and equip you to walk alongside others who will one day need the comfort you’re receiving now.

Your suffering is not meaningless. It’s a ministry in the making.

Father of mercies and God of all comfort, thank You that You meet us in our lowest moments. Thank You for comforting us not only for our own sake, but so we can turn around and extend that comfort to others. Teach us to rely on You when we feel weak, to trust You when we can’t see the way forward, and to glorify You with every step—even the painful ones. Use our stories to build up others and help us become people who walk with others in their pain, just as You walk with us.  In Jesus’ name,Amen.

Your Heart Sister,
Mikki 💜

Lessons From the Garden

/ Sandra Bivens Smith

He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit. -Jeremiah 17:8

Full disclosure. I am not a gardener. As a matter of fact, I would be the first to admit that when it comes to plants of any kind, I have what could be called a “black thumb”. However, those who do know about such things will tell you that understanding root depth is crucial for successful cultivation.

According to the experts, deep-rooted plants have the ability to access water and nutrients from deeper soil layers, making them more drought-tolerant and resilient. Because they can penetrate deeply into the soil, they are also able to reach sources of water from deep underground. This allows plants with deep roots to sustain themselves and withstand a period of drought during hot climates. Deep roots also provide a stronger support system and are better anchored to withstand strong winds. Having deep roots provide the right stability, moisture, structure, and access to nutrients; resources which helps them survive a variety of conditions during tough conditions.

I am told that when you water a plant it is important to water deeply, otherwise in their search for water, the roots will grow toward the surface of the soil, making them weak and unable to withstand drought and other adverse conditions.

Are you seeing my point?

Our spiritual growth is much like a plant, the deeper our roots, the stronger our faith. So, how do we develop deep roots of faith?

We till the soil through prayer.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16

We water the soil by studying God’s word.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. –Psalm 1:1-3

We produce fruit by walking in the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23

We harvest the fruit by sharing the gospel.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. -Luke 10:1-2)

Just as a well-rooted plant withstands storms and drought, our faith flourishes when it is firmly rooted in Christ. Deep roots don’t grow by accident—they’re cultivated through intentional time in prayer, consistent study of God’s Word, a Spirit-led life, and a willingness to share the hope we’ve found. The deeper our roots, the stronger our witness and the steadier our hearts, no matter what comes our way. So dig deep, stay grounded, and trust God to bring fruit in every season.  

Grace and Peace,

Sandra