There has never been a time like this in our lives, and there probably never will be again.  An appropriate word for this season of our lives, albeit a tad overused, is “unprecedented”.  It’s true.  The current world health crisis caused by the coronavirus is without precedent in our lifetimes.

But a life with trials is not without precedent.  For the follower of Jesus, the Word of God tells us to expect trials, and in fact, tells us that trials have a purpose in our lives.  Three different New Testament writers address this:

Paul: “3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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)

James: “2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

Peter: “6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1`:6-8)

Each of these passages were written to people who were experiencing suffering and trials of various kinds.  Their trials were not all the same, but they were all hard, challenging, wearying, dangerous, and scary.   The message from these writers may be nuanced to each of their audiences, but the central message is the same:  Rejoice in this trial because God is using it to do something profound in your soul.  Whether it is the spiritual development of endurance, character and hope (Paul), the perfecting and completing of our sanctification (James), or the tested genuineness of our faith (Peter), each of them is telling us that God is working on our souls in times like this; and that we should rejoice in that truth.

I’m not presuming to know all the reasons why God is allowing this manifestation of the Fall called the coronavirus to ravage the world right now, but I am presuming to know one of those reasons.  According to Scripture, God brings suffering and trial into the life of His children in part to perfect them and purify them.  This is how God sanctifies us.  But part of what we know about progressive sanctification, is that while God is the one who sanctifies by grace, the individual believer also participates in their own sanctification.  The Apostle Paul speaks vividly about this sanctifying partnership in two places:

Colossians 1:29 - For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Phil 2:12-13 - 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

So, while God is using this season of trial and difficulty during the pandemic to sanctify us, we have a role in this work of sanctification as well.  And just as the pandemic itself is unprecedented, so is our opportunity to grow during this season.  Let’s not waste this opportunity to have our hearts, minds and lives conformed to the image of Christ.

How will you “work out your salvation” during this season?  What will you do to “toil and labor” for your own sanctification “with all his energy that he powerfully works within [you]”?

Here are a few suggestions (each is linked to a digital resource to get you started):

What other ideas do you have?  How will you ensure that you don’t waste your pandemic?

Written by Ken Rucker