Our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Apr 5, 2017, 12:38:05 AM4/5/17

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Trial by Fire

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life. James 1:12

Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not they produce trees. They sleep underground, waiting for fire, flood, or avalanche to clear a space for them in the shady forest. After a natural disaster has cleared the land, aspen roots can sense the sun at last. The roots send up saplings, which become trees.

For aspens, new growth is made possible by the devastation of a natural disaster. James writes that our growth in faith is also made possible by difficulties. “Consider it pure joy,” he writes, “whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4).

It’s difficult to be joyful during trials, but we can take hope from the fact that God will use difficult circumstances to help us reach maturity. Like aspen trees, faith can grow in times of trial when difficulty clears space in our hearts for the light of God to touch us.

Thank You, God, for being with us in our trials, and for helping us to grow through difficult circumstances.

Trials and tests can draw us closer to Christ.

试炼与成长

忍受试探的人是有福的，因为他经过试验以后，必得生命的冠冕。-雅各书1章12节

去年冬天，我参观了科罗拉多州的自然历史博物馆，了解一些关于白杨树惊人的科学真相。一整片修长、银白的白杨树林，竟是从同一颗种子生根发芽，并享有相同的根部系统。这些根部系统能够存活几千年之久，不论白杨树是否还在繁衍新的生命。这些树根沉睡于地底，等待着火灾、洪水或雪崩在成荫的森林中清出一隙空间。当自然灾害开拓出新的空地之后，白杨树的树根也终于可以再次感受到阳光的温暖。于是，树根长出了树苗，并茁壮长成大树。

对白杨树而言，自然灾害的破坏可能会带来新生。雅各也说，困难能够让我们的信心增长：“你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过试验，就生忍耐。但忍耐也当成功，使你们成全完备，毫无缺欠。”（雅各书1章2-4节）

在试炼的过程中，保持喜乐并非易事。但若相信上帝能用困境令我们变得更加成熟，就能让我们得着盼望。好像白杨树一样，当困难在我们心中清出一隙空间，让上帝的明光照耀我们的心，那么信心就能在试炼中有所成长。

上帝啊，当我们落在试炼之中，
感谢祢仍与我们一路同行，
也感谢祢透过艰难的困境使我们有所成长。