How many times have you asked yourself:

• "Why am I facing all of these trials in my life?"

• "Why are there so many challenges in my life when I am trying to serve God?"

• "Why is that person's life so much easier than mine when they are not even trying to serve God?"

• How many times have you heard television evangelists preach about the "good times" when we come to serve God?

• How many times have you heard many television evangelists say that once we begin serving God, all of our problems go away?

If what some of these television evangelists say is true, then why does Jesus Christ say in Matthew 7:13-16:

"Enter through the narrow gate; because the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life; and few find it.

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You'll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?"

We need to ask ourselves, that if serving God is such an easy, enjoyable experience then why only few find it?

Why does Our Lord and Savior describe the path that leads to life as a narrow and difficult road?

Then, we should consider:

• Is something wrong with those who face trials when they are doing their best to serve God?

• Is it that they have no faith?

• Why did Job, described as "this man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" suffered such great trials?

• What does the Holy Bible say about trials in the life of the believer?

Whom do you believe man or the Word of God?

According to the Word of God, the trials that we experience serve a divine purpose in our lives because they help us learn to endure and, in enduring those trials, our character is strengthened and in the strengthening of our character, our faith in God's salvation is ensured. Friends, God's ways are not our ways - He is supreme in wisdom and He knows how to conform us to exactly what He wants us to be. He knows what experiences, events and people to use in order to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. He knows exactly how to purify us by fire. Through all of our trials we can trust God and His faithfulness. After all, if God did not spare His son to die for us, how can we not believe Him to take care of us, as it is written in Romans 8: 31-39:

"What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus?

No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." )

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."