When Troubles Come and Stay

Message Summary:

In this deeply empathetic and biblically grounded message, Chuck Swindoll addresses the reality of trials that do not simply “pass through” but instead take up permanent residence in a believer’s life. He begins by reflecting on the origin of the beloved hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” While often sung in a major, cheerful key, Chuck reminds us that these words were born in the “minor key” of Lamentations, written by the “weeping prophet” Jeremiah amidst the smoking ruins of Jerusalem. This sets the stage for a study on how to find God’s mercies when life feels like a Relentless struggle. Chuck argues that while we often pray for the removal of our “thorns,” the Holy Spirit’s primary agenda is often to provide the endurance required to “stay under” the load until God’s perfect work of maturity is complete.

The core of the teaching focuses on the distinction between trials we encounter and trials that stay. Drawing from the first chapter of James, Chuck explores the paradoxical command to “consider it all joy” when facing variegated, many-colored troubles. He clarifies that joy is not a bubbly feeling or a denial of pain, but a deliberate choice of the mind based on the knowledge that God is at work. The message serves as a lifeline for those dealing with chronic illness, the ongoing grief of losing a child, or the grinding pressure of unresolved circumstances. By shifting our focus from “Why is this happening?” to “What is God producing?”, the believer can move from a state of victimhood to a state of stable, seasoned maturity.

Message Key Facts:

• The Lamentations Context: Chuck points out that the famous promise of God’s “new mercies every morning” (Lamentations 3:21–23) appears in the middle of a book filled with woe, destruction, and abandonment. He notes that most great songs of faith are born from “wells of woe,” proving that God’s faithfulness is most visible not in the sunshine, but in the ruins of our personal “Jerusalems.”
• The Meaning of “Various” (Poikilos): A major highlight is Chuck’s analysis of James 1:2. He explains that the Greek word poikilos means “variegated” or “many-colored.” Just as trials come in many different shades—from the “blue” of depression to the “red” of intense pain—God provides a “variegated grace” (1 Peter 4:10) that is perfectly color-coded to match the specific trial we are facing.
• The “Pitfall” of Encountering Trials: Chuck dives into the word peripiptō, translated as “encounter.” It suggests falling into something unexpectedly, like a pit or a trap. He notes that we rarely schedule our troubles; they “intercept” us on our way to somewhere else. The key to navigating these pits is recognizing that while the trial was a surprise to us, it was never a surprise to God.
• Endurance as “Staying Under”: Chuck provides a powerful definition of endurance (hypomonē). He breaks the word down into its components: hypo (under) and menō (to abide or stay). Biblical endurance is the ability to “stay under” a load without looking for an easy exit. He argues that we often short-circuit God’s work of maturity by trying to escape the trial too quickly through human means.
• The Goal of “Lack in Nothing”: Chuck emphasizes that the end goal of a “staying” trial is to make the believer “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” He admits that this maturity is not fun to acquire, but it results in a “seasoned” character that can only be formed under pressure. Like a diamond, the beauty of a believer is produced by the heat and weight of the trials they have endured.
• A Call to “Let It Be”: Chuck concludes with a challenging exhortation to stop fighting against the trial and instead “let it run its course.” He encourages the listener to stop asking for a “fast pill” for their pain and instead seek the wisdom that God promises to give generously to those who ask.

Message References:

• Lamentations 3:21–24: The foundational text for recognizing God’s faithfulness in the midst of total devastation. Chuck highlights that Jeremiah “called to mind” the truth of God’s mercies as a deliberate act of the will to combat his despair.
• James 1:2–4: The primary instructional text. Chuck breaks down the three “steps” of the trial process: 1) The Encounter (peripiptō), 2) The Testing (dokimion) which produces endurance, and 3) The Perfect Result, which leads to spiritual wholeness.
• 1 Peter 4:10: Chuck links the “various” (poikilos) trials of James 1 to the “manifold” (poikilos) grace of God in Peter’s letter, showing that God has a specific “color” of grace for every “color” of trouble.
• Psalm 42:1–5: A reference to the “Minor Key” of life. Chuck uses the psalmist’s honest dialogue with his own soul (“Why are you in despair?”) to show that it is biblical to acknowledge deep emotional distress while still placing one’s hope in God.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7–10: Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” Chuck uses this to illustrate the “staying” trial—something that Paul begged to have removed but which God allowed to stay so that His “power might be perfected in weakness.”
• James 1:5: The promise of wisdom. Chuck points out that the very next verse after the instruction on trials is the promise that God gives wisdom “generously and without reproach” to those who need to know how to navigate their “Malta” experiences.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll