How to Handle a Trial

The "How to's" of handling a trial - there are countless books and blogs filled with them. But when you’re actually going through one, their pointers and encouraging statements can all seem rather simplistic to the point of driving you mad.. This is because no one when they’re facing a trial wants to be told that it’s all soo easy if you just do this or that. Truth of the matter is, even if all their statements are good and true, going through a storm in never easy. It’s hard and it’s painful. And no one wants to be told that they’re easy to get out of.

So…what do you do then? Well, the best and only thing I can do is point you back to the Bible, because only God holds the ability to change your circumstance - not me. 

In the book of Nehemiah we can see that there are essentially four different ways to handle a trial. In this book, Nehemiah records all the children of Israel that returned from Babylon after the captivity. To explain it briefly: Babylonians invaded, taking many people in Israel and carrying them away to a foreign land. God permitted this because Israel had turned their hearts from following the Lord. For this they were kept in Babylon for 70 years until they were finally freed. This was a 70-year trial. Looking through the records we can see how different families and peoples handled themselves through it. 

From this we can learn what to do and what not to do when a trial comes.

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Nehemiah 7:46 - 64

·      The First Group: Vs. 46 – This group returned from the trial perfectly in tact. In vs. 46 it introduces us to the Nethinims, who were the servants of the temple. Then it lists their genealogy through vs. 59. Then in vs. 60 we see that this group included also the children of Solomon’s servants.

o   When this group returned from the trial, they knew exactly who they were, where they came from, and what their purpose was (their occupation: servants). They remembered God, whom they never ceased from serving (they never forgot Him), they didn’t forget what He did for them, they didn’t forget the purpose God had given them, and they never stopped following His commandments for their lives.

·      The Second Group: Vs. 61 – When this group returned from the trial they didn’t remember who their father was (who they descended from), where they came from, or even if they were of Israel or not. This would obviously have included what occupation they were of, what God they served, and how He wanted them to live.

o   This means that these people completely forgot their identity in the trial. They forgot God. They forgot who they were in Him. They forgot where they came from, and therefore all of the great works that God did for them. They forgot their occupation, the purpose that God had for them (what they were supposed to do).

·      The Third Group: Vs. 63 – This group of people were of the priests. However it says that one of the children of the priests married a Gileadite (an Israelite) woman and was called by her name. By doing this they gave up their name as a child of Levi, which gave them the ability to be priests. In Vs. 64 we see that when they returned to Israel they expected to be given a position in the priesthood again, but they were excluded.

o   During the trial, they gave up their identity willfully and mindfully. They remembered exactly who they were and that they served the Lord God. They remembered their occupation, and the purpose God had put on their life. But they consciously gave it up. They thought they could live outside of the way that God wanted them to; then when they were ready or wanted to return, could easily. This was not what happened though. Their actions had consequences. They lost their position before God, and were marked as polluted.

§  There are consequences when we depart from God. Especially when we mindfully and willfully do so.

·      The Fourth Group: This group isn’t recorded in Nehemiah. This is because this group consists of the Israelites who never returned after the trial. The storm came, and when it left, they didn’t return to God.

Remembrance seems to be the overarching theme of handling a storm well. It’s not about pulling yourself out of it…storms are there for a reason, and sometimes you just have to go through them. The important thing is to just remember.

So in times of trial and temptation, in times when God is silent: Do not forget the Lord, do not forget that He is your father, that He is faithful and steadfast. Do not depart from His ways: the way that He guided you in before the trial or the silence. Remember that He is that same God in the trial that He was before. He is not moved. He never changes. Do not stretch your hand out for salvation to anyone or anything else. Do not put your hope or trust in the world. Do not trade His ways for the world’s ways. Do not give up the purpose that God has placed on your life. Trust in Him. Remember Him.