When a trial comes, our first reaction is often the same: “Why is this happening to me?”

This is especially true when they come out of the blue: a phone call with bad news in the middle of the afternoon, a test result that is not what you or the doctor expected, or a conversation meant to mend a relationship that only leaves it more strained.

No matter how long we have been in God’s Way, a serious trial can unsettle us. Depending on its severity, it may leave us confused, fearful or feeling as though our world is suddenly coming apart.

The words of the apostle Peter can help us keep trials in perspective: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (I Pet. 4:12).

Peter’s instruction acknowledges a human tendency. When suffering suddenly interrupts our lives, we can quickly think something is wrong and that this trial should not be happening to us. Yet this verse shows us that trials are a fundamental part of Christianity. God uses them to test and refine us.

Having trials is not a strange thing. The strange thing would be a converted life without them.

Verse 13 continues: “But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.” Not only should trials not surprise us, we can rejoice because of what God promises to accomplish through them.

The particulars differ from one person to the next, but sooner or later trials touch every Christian. God is patient with us when we initially react with fear or distress, but He does not want us to stay there. So what should we do when hardship comes? How do we learn to view it not as something strange, but as a normal part of Christian life?

God’s Purpose in the Fire

In the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabas went back through the same cities where they had previously faced violent persecution, “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God” (14:22).

They did not present tribulation as something Christians could avoid by making the right decisions. Rather, they showed it is a road we all must travel.

After a trial strikes, being told it has a purpose can ring hollow. The pain and hardship are immediate, while what God may be accomplishing can be unclear. That is why it is important to understand what Scripture teaches us about trials before they come. Doing so can prepare us to respond more calmly and faithfully when they do.

Look again at the term “fiery trial” in I Peter. The Greek word is purosis, which refers to burning. It evokes the intense heat used to refine metal.

A refiner does not apply heat to ruin the metal. The heat brings impurities to the surface so they can be removed, leaving the metal purer than before.

Peter uses a similar picture earlier in his epistle: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 1:7).

Some trials involve correction. A loving father does not allow his children to run toward harm, and God loves His begotten children too much to leave serious faults unaddressed.

Hebrews 12 states, “Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (vs. 11).

Take note of the word afterward. In the moment, correction feels grievous. Its fruit comes later—sometimes much later—and only if we allow ourselves to be taught and changed by it rather than becoming hardened or resentful.

Exactly what God is producing may be difficult to recognize while a trial is underway. A Christian enduring a long illness or facing unemployment through no fault of his own may see little evidence that anything good is being accomplished. Yet the absence of immediate positive results does not mean God has forgotten you.

When we later recognize the growth a trial produced, that experience can strengthen our trust when another one comes.

King David could look back on his own hard experiences and write, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Your statutes” (Psa. 119:71).

Knowing God’s purposes for fiery trials can help shape our thinking as we go through them. We may not understand everything He is allowing to happen, but we can trust He will use the experience for our ultimate good.

Examine, Do Not Assume

When a trial comes, it is important to pause and take stock of what is happening. Yet our minds can race so quickly that we struggle to slow down and consider the situation clearly.

Simply acknowledging, “I am in a trial,” can help us move beyond our initial emotions.

We should look inward. Paul wrote, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (I Cor. 11:31). Although this verse is especially relevant during the Passover season, self-examination should be a regular part of Christian life. A trial is an important time to practice it.

This can be uncomfortable, and our natural human inclination is to fall into one of two ditches. We may examine ourselves quickly and superficially. Or, driven by fear, we may turn self-examination into a hunt for every wrong thing we have ever done. A balanced approach is to honestly ask whether God may be drawing our attention to something that needs to change.

Ask yourself: Have I ignored counsel I was given? Have I let a relation ship slide that now needs repair? Have I been putting off a problem that has only grown while I avoided it? Have I faced a similar trial before without learning the lesson it could have taught me?

Where a trial has stemmed from something we have done, facing it squarely is the first step toward making it right.

Yet we must be careful not to assume that every hardship is a punishment, or that suffering is always the evidence of sin. It is not.

Peter distinguishes between two very different kinds of suffering: “For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently?” (I Pet. 2:20). In the following chapter, he adds, “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing” (3:17).

Suffering because of our own faults and suffering for doing right are not the same, and they require different responses. When the fault is ours, we must repent and make changes. Patiently enduring the consequences cannot take the place of repentance. But when we have suffered while doing right, we should not burden ourselves with guilt for a sin we did not commit.

As a minister, I have spoken with brethren who were certain their affliction was a verdict from God against them. In reality, it was nothing of the kind.

Some trials are neither punishment nor persecution. Solomon wrote: “Time and chance happen to them all” (Ecc. 9:11). At times, we may simply suffer because we live in an unpredictable world.

So examine the situation, but do not assume. The purpose of looking inward is to repent where there is cause and to find peace where there is none. Learning to recognize the difference is itself a sign of spiritual growth.

Prayer and the Brethren

Throughout any trial, we must be sure to turn to God. Peter wrote, “Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you” (I Pet. 5:7). God does not want us to remain weighed down with cares and worries. Rather, He tells us to bring our concerns to Him in prayer and place them in His hands.

If a trial has to do with our physical health, James gives us a specific instruction: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (5:14).

Brethren facing a stubborn illness or a frightening diagnosis do not need to suffer in silence. We should not allow pride or embarrassment to stop us from requesting an anointing from a minister or prayers from the brethren.

Trials can also tempt us to withdraw from others. Some private reflection may be helpful, but isolating ourselves from those who can encourage and support us can make a difficult situation even harder.

Certain trials are more likely to leave us feeling alone: the grief that follows a loss, the weariness of caring for an aging parent week after week, or embarrassment about a struggle we are convinced no one else would understand. In such moments, the tendency is often to retreat, at a time when retreat may be the very worst thing for us.

God did not intend for His people to face burdens alone: “Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). The brethren are there to provide encouragement, perspective and practical help when our own strength is low.

If you are carrying something heavy right now, consider allowing someone trustworthy to help you bear it. Ask your minister for counsel or an anointing when appropriate. Seeking help is not weakness; it is a spiritually mature way to handle life’s hardships.

Endure to the End

There is one more part of a trial, which is often one of the hardest: continuing faithfully when a difficult situation lasts longer than expected.

Jesus Christ said, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13).

While this statement applies to our entire Christian course, its principle also applies when a particular trial continues longer than expected. Our faithfulness cannot depend on how quickly the situation changes or even whether it is resolved in this life.

Almost anyone can remain faithful for a short time. The greater test comes when a trial stretches into months or years with little change in sight.

Consider a parent praying for a son or daughter who has left the truth, year after year, with no sign of return. Or think of someone with a chronic health condition that can be managed but not cured. In trials such as these, we may not understand why God is allowing it or see when relief will come. Yet we must continue looking to Him and doing what is right.

Endurance requires action. Peter wrote: “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (I Pet. 4:19).

Even when much of a situation lies beyond our control, there is still a part for us to do. We continue to cry out to God, even when an answer may seem distant. We keep obeying even when we cannot yet see the fruit. We continue attending Sabbath services, socials and other Church events even when withdrawing would be easier.

So when a trial comes, and it will come, do not be surprised by it. Turn to God before you turn anywhere else. Examine yourself honestly, be ready to repent if there is cause and be just as ready to be at peace if there is none. Look for lessons God may be teaching you, even if it takes years to understand. Lean on the brethren and the ministry He has set around you to help.

And hold fast to the promised outcome: “But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy” (I Pet. 4:13).