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Citation: Santos, Narry F. How God Works. When We Are Tried and Tempted. Quezon City,
Philippines: Life-Change Publishing, Inc., 2003.

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Santos, Narry F. How God Works. When We Are Tried and Tempted. Quezon City,
Philippines: Life-Change Publishing, Inc., 2003.

[ Citation Page ]



LIFE CHANGE SERIES

HOW
GOD
WORKS
When We Are Tried & Tempted
(Lessons on Overcoming Life's Overwhelming Struggles)

Narry F. Santos

Lifechange
Publishing, Inc.

[ Page i ]



How God Works
When We Are Tried & Tempted
(Lessons on Overcoming Life's Overwhelming Struggles)

Published by LifeChange Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2003 by LifeChange Publishing, Inc.
Narry F. Santos, Ph D

International Standard Book Number:
971-92796-6-4 (Hard Cover)
971-92796-5-6 (Soft Cover)

Cover Design and Book Layout: Arnaldo G. Santos

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All
rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case
of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Printed in the Philippines

[ Page ii ]



HOW
GOD
WORKS
When We Are Tried & Tempted
(Lessons on Overcoming Life's Overwhelming Struggles)

[ Page iii ]



The National Library of the Philippines CIP Data

Recommended entry:

Santos, Narry F.
   How God works : when we are tried & tempted :
lesson on overcoming life's overwhelming struggles
/ by Narry F Santos. - Quezon City : Lifechange Pub.
c2003.

1 v

1. Temptation - Religious aspects.
Immanence of God. I. Title

BT725 241.3 2003 P034000026

ISBN 971-92796-5-6 (pbk.)
ISBN 971-92796-6-4 (pbd.)

[ Page iv ]



To Hazel, my precious wife,
best friend, and faithful partner
in life and ministry

and

To our two lovely daughters,
Eirene and Kaira,
who are God's blessings to us
in the midst of all
trials and temptations
in our life and ministry.

[ Page v ]



[ Page vi ]



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface .... ix

Introduction .... xiii

Part 1:
HOW GOD WORKS
When We Face Trials .... 1

Chapter 1: What Trials Can Do for Us (James 1:1-4) .... 3

   Chapter 1.1
      Trials Make Us Mature (James 1:1-3) .... 5

   Chapter 1.2
      Trials Perfect Us (James 1:4) .... 17

Chapter 2: What We Can Do to Trials (James 1:5-8) .... 29

   Chapter 2.1
      Prayer for God's Wisdom (James 1:5) .... 33

   Chapter 2.2
      Persistence with Faith in God (James 1:6-8) .... 43

Part 2:
HOW GOD WORKS
When Temptations Face Us .... 63

[ Page vii ]



Chapter 3: What to Do When We Are Tempted   
   (James 1:13-15) .... 65

   Chapter 3.1
      Singular Source of our Temptations
      (James 1:13-14a) .... 71

   Chapter 3.2
      Scheming Stages of our Temptations
      (James l:14b-15) .... 89

Chapter 4: What to Do When We are Tempted Again
      (Matthew 4:1-11) .... 107

   Chapter 4.1
      Being God-Sufficient, Not Self-Sufficient
      (Matthew 4:1-4) .... 115

   Chapter 4.2
      Being Steady, Not Spectacular
      (Matthew 4:5-7) .... 125

   Chapter 4.3
      Being a Servant, Not a Short-Cut Specialist
      (Matthew 4:8-11) .... 131

Conclusion .... 141

Acknowledgements .... 151

[ Page viii ]



PREFACE

This small book is the second in a short series
 on the big topic, How God Works. The first
book is titled, How God Works When We are
Worried and Weary (Lessons on Restoring Rest to
a Troubled Soul). While this second installment
is called, How God Works When We are Tried
and Tempted (Lessons on Overcoming Life's
Overwhelming Struggles).

   As I mentioned in the preface of the first book,
the topic, How God Works, fascinates me because
I like to watch and learn how God works in and
among us.

[ Page ] ix



   But given the finiteness of my mind, I realize
that I can't capture all the ways in which God
works. In fact, the little that I can see may not even
accurately describe how God really works.

   Moreover, I cannot put God and his ways
in a box because just as he is infinitely wise and
creative, so he has countless ways of dealing with
us and of making us discover him and his manifold
ways. Yet, no matter what way he chooses to deal
with us, his ways are always good, because he is
always good.

   As a pastor and Bible teacher for ten years
now, I've seen the hand of God at work many
times. These include those days when we feel
worried and weary which I covered in the first
book. The other times are when we go through
various trials and temptations, which is the main
topic of this volume.

   God works when we come to the highest
moments in our life. He works when we feel

[ Page x ]



emotionally up or spiritually encouraged. He
works when we see many things work in us and for
us. He works when all things around us are under
control. In fact, it requires another volume in this
series to catalog how God works along these lines.

   However, there's something undeniably life-
changing, when we see and sense God works in
our lowest moments. And so I offer to you the
second book in our How God Works series.

   In this volume, I expanded four basic messages
from four biblical passages. Particularly, I have
gained valuable insights on how we can handle
trials from James 1:1-4 and 5-8 and our temptations
from James 1:13-15 and Matthew 4:1-11.

   As we explore these short biblical passages
in this small book, may we readily see how God
works in our lives. May he enable us to know and
love him more as we face our trials and flee from
our temptations.

[ Page ] xi



"The sufficiency of God's grace is
at times best experienced in the
crucibles of life."

- N.M. Sosmeña
[ Page xii ]



[ Page xiii ]



"Trials and temptations are an
explosive combination that can
overwhelm us if we do not discern
how God works through them."

[ Page xiv ]



INTRODUCTION

The question, "How does God work?," never
ceases to amaze me. The more I think of it,
the more I am convinced that we can never really
exhaust all the ways in which God works. He acts
in more ways than we can imagine - far more
numerous than the stars in the universe or the
people on earth.

   At the same time, the question never ceases to
affirm me because the more I reflect on it, the more
I am convinced that God has revealed himself in the
Bible for us to see how he works. And when we see,
we learn that his purpose in doing so seems always
related to who he is. He works to make us know

[ Page xv ]



him, to help us discover more and more what he is
like, and to assist us to grow in him and his ways.

   In the introduction of the first book in the
"How God Works" series, I included one of my
journal entries that reflects on how God works
in our lives. I included a prayer in that journal
entry; a prayer that still expresses my heart's
desire in this second small book.

  "Father, you work the way you do to help us learn
that everything in life is not about us, but that it's
really all about you. That we discover who we really are
if we discover who you really are.

   That we are able to do what we need to do if we
learn to draw our strength from you. That we can face
life - its ups and downs, successes and failures, wins
and losses, joys and sorrows - if we have you with us.

   That our life can be full and meaningful because
you're the one who makes it overflow with meaning.
That we can be ourselves because you know who we

[ Page xvi ]



are and yon totally accept ns. That we can live for yon
because yon give ns life and the abundance of it.

   O Father, when will we realize that it's all about
yon, that it's really not about ns? For only when we
take to heart that our life on earth is really about yon
can we be ready to see how yon work in ns and around
ns. Only then can we be ready to seek how yon work in
others and in the world. Only then can we be ready to
sense that all that yon give and take away truly reflect
how yon graciously work for our good.

   This second volume is our ongoing search
to learn how God works and how he shows his
goodness to us. So, I invite you to explore with me
the two major topics of trials and temptations.

   Trials and temptations are an explosive
combination that can overwhelm us if we do not
discern how God works through them. They can
render us immobilized or stuck in our spiritual
lives if we do not determine what purposes they
seek to fulfill in us.

[ Page xvii ]



   Trials and temptations can ensnare our mind
and heart with relentless frustration and fear if
we are ignorant of the way they operate. They
can endanger our soul if we are unmindful of the
strain and stress they bring to our spirit.

   Thus, I wrote this small volume so that we
may see how God works when we encounter
trials and temptations. This volume seeks to
help us learn lessons on overcoming life's
overwhelming struggles. Part 1 deals with
the times when we go through trials, while
Part 2 discusses the times when we experience
temptations.

   Part 1, which is titled "How God Works When
We Face Trials" has two chapters (and four sub-
chapters) that cover reflections on James 1:1-4 and
James 1:5-8.

   Chapter 1 is called "What Trials Can Do for
Us" (James 1:1-4), while Chapter 2 is labeled,
"What We Can Do to Trials" (James 1:5-8).

[ Page xviii ]



   Part 2, which is titled "How God Works
When Temptations Face Us," has two chapters
(and five sub-chapters) on James 1:13-15 and
Matthew 4:1-11.

   James 1:13-15 tells us what we need to be
watchful for in order not to be deceived by
temptations (Chapter 3, "What to Do When We
Are Tempted.")

   To supplement our vigilance toward
temptations, I included Matthew 4:1-11, which
is Jesus' model for handling more temptations.
Chapter 4 is called "What to Do When We are
Tempted Again."

   All the four brief chapters (and nine sub-
chapters) of this volume are designed to help
us make practical steps for application. These
applications are meant to help us respond to God
when he chooses to work in us during our times of
trials and temptations.

[ Page xix ]



   Before we go to Part 1, I'd like us to be
forewarned. Learning about how God works in
the midst of our trials and temptations is serious
business. In fact, the more serious we become in
handling them the way God wants us to, the more
intense and more frequent trials and temptations
may come our way.

   Here's a word to the wise: the more we seek
to overcome our trials, the more these trials may
appear overwhelming. In addition, the more we
commit to live holy and godly lives, the more trials
may show up, and the more our sinful desires may
surface. Let us not be surprised when and if these
happen.

   But what's encouraging is this: the more
intense and more frequent trials and temptations
come our way, the more potential we have in
experiencing God's presence and power. The
more overwhelming these trials and temptations
seem to us, the more available God's grace and
goodness are. So let's not lose heart. In the midst

[ Page xx ]



of troubles and hardships, we can feel God's
heart for us and experience his abounding favor.

[ Page xxi ]



"Consider it pure joy when you
encounter various trials. They
are meant to make you strong."

[ Page xxii ]



Part 1

HOW GOD WORKS
When We Face Trials

[ Page 1 ]



"1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord
Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered
among the nations: Greetings. 2Consider it
pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials
of many kinds, 3because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4Perseverance must finish its work so that
you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything."

-James 1:1-4

[ Page 2 ]



CHAPTER 1

What Trials Can Do For Us
(James 1:1-4)

A religious teacher was instructing a student
about the truths of Deuteronomy 6:6 when
the pupil asked his teacher, "Sir, why does this
verse tell us to put God's commandments upon
our hearts, and not in our hearts?"

  The teacher wisely answered, "Son, it is not
within our human power to place divine teachings
directly in our heart. All we can do is to place them
on the surface of our heart, so that when the heart
breaks, they will drop in."

  Trials break our hearts so that divine teachings
can drop in. They come our way to make life's
lessons sink in our minds and settle in our souls.

[ Page ] 3



   Yet, as humans, it is our nature to not welcome
trials. We resist them like a plague because we
think that they are there to hurt and harm us. We
overlook the fact that when trials break our hearts,
they intend to make us better, not bitter. They
mend our broken lives in ways that no physician
or medicine can ever mend.

   Vance Havner speaks of the value of being
broken. He says, "God uses broken things. It takes
broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to
give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread
to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that
gives forth perfume... it is Peter, weeping bitterly,
who returns to greater power than ever."

   So given the value of brokenness in trials, we
ask, "What do trials really achieve for us? Why
do they come our way? What do they seek to
accomplish in our lives?"

   James 1:1-4 talks about the two important
purposes of trials in our lives to make us mature
(1:1-3) and complete (1:4).

[ Page ] 4



CHAPTER 1.1

Trials Make Us Mature
(James 1:1-3)

Trials make us mature. This is the first major
role of trials in our lives.

   We can appreciate the maturing role of trials in
our lives when we first inspect the actual trials of
the people that James addresses in his letter. James
calls these people the "twelve tribes scattered
among the nations" (James 1:1).

Context of Pressing Pressures

   The scattered twelve tribes had their share
of pressing pressures. These tribes were James'
fellow-Jews who were forced to leave the Promised
Land for various reasons.

[ Page ] 5



   It may be due to persecution by the Jews
against the Christians or the pursuit of commerce
in other lands.

   But whatever the reason may be, we can
imagine the immensity of their trials - similar to
the way any stranger to a new place personally
encounters. Do you remember the last time you
visited a new place totally different from your
own? Or the time when you were lost in a strange
town all alone? Can you remember how scared you
were, or how unusually sensitive you might have
been to anyone or anything that came along?

   This experience is probably what our Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFWs) feel while working in a
foreign land. Physically, they may feel unsafe.
Economically, they may feel insecure. Mentally,
they may feel insignificant. Socially, they may feel
unstable. Spiritually, they may feel unsettled.

   Are you going through these similar feelings
right now? We may not be physically away in a

[ Page ] 6



foreign land or literally lost in a strange place. But
we probably may have been placed in a situation
that makes us feel unsafe, insecure, insignificant,
unstable, or unsettled.

   If we can identify with the twelve tribes or the
OFWs, we would appreciate the appeal of James
in the next verse.

Appeal for Joy Amid Trials

   James urges his audience, "Consider it pure joy,
my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds"
(1:2). Wow! James wastes no time hitting the mark of
their real need: that is, to know
how to handle their trials.
[ paragraph located on the right side column of the page ]
"But let us not miss the
point: we can find pure joy
in the midst of our trials
because they can enable us
to experience inner peace
- despite the presence of
outward pressure."

   But his proposal seems
perplexing. Consider it pure
joy when we face trials?
"How can we derive pure joy
when trials are painful? Are

[ Page ] 7



we going to smile when we feel sad or sorrowful?
Are we going to deny the pain in our problems?
Must we ignore the reality of trials?"

   These questions reveal our shock at how strange
this teaching is. But let us not miss the point: we can
find pure joy in the midst of our trials because they
can enable us to experience inner peace - despite the
presence of outward pressure.

   In other words, trials fulfill God's purposes
for us in ways that no other self-help program
can accomplish. Trials bring to the surface God's
transforming lessons in ways that no other
institution of learning can teach. Trials make us
realize God's potential for us in ways that no other
successful job or business can compensate.

   A family from Manila went to Mindanao to
climb Mount Apo. It was the first time for the ten-
year-old son to trek with the parents. As he panted
on the way up, the son complained to his father,
"Dad, this is not the path. It has many rocks and

[ Page ] 8



bumps." But the father simply smiled and said,
"Son, the bumps are what we climb on."

   Trials are the bumps that we climb on to for
our spiritual growth. They are the stepping stones
that make us go higher, not the rocky obstacles
that obscure our path. So let's remember: trials
are stepping stones, not
hindrances; they bring us
hope, not harm.

[ Paragraph located on the right side column of the page ]
Trials are the bumps that
we climb on to for our
spiritual growth. They
are the stepping stones
that make us go higher,
not the rocky obstacles
that obscure our path.

   Let's welcome the rocks
and bumps in our journey of
life. Through them, we can
experience inner peace and joy,
gain peace of mind, and find deep joy so that we can
face our problems head-on.

   Why is it possible to have joy and peace amid
our trials? It's because our trials play a major role
to make us mature. When our troubles become
bigger, we deepen our character and make us
discover bigger breakthroughs in our broken

[ Page ] 9



lives. As Lord Kelvin says, "When you are face
to face with a difficulty, you are up against a
discovery."

Discovery of Four Truths about Trials

   Let's now discover four truths about the nature
of trials. James 1:2-3 forms the basis for these:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
face trials of many kinds, because you know that
the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

   First, trials are wide-ranging. We see this truth
in the words, "trials of many kinds." Trials are varied
in the sense that they are both outward and inward.
By "outward," I mean that they can come in the form
of external tests of stamina. By "inward," I mean that
trials can come in the form of internal temptations to
do wrong as a result of the external tests.

   Second, trials come our way. We see this truth
in the words, "whenever you face trials." Trials
exempt no one. Just as they come in a shape or

[ Page ] 10



size that fits the situations of one individual, so
they come to us in the shape or size that fits our
own set of circumstances.

   Trials came to us before; they continue to
come to us now; they are committed to come to
us tomorrow. There is no way out or around this
truth. We have to face them, not run away from
them.

   Third, trials test our faith. We see this truth in
the words, "the testing of your faith." Trials come
to us to strengthen us. They develop our faith in
the same way as we develop our muscles. When
we lift weights, we strengthen our biceps. When
we face trials, we strengthen our spiritual biceps.

   Lastly, trials extend our endurance as seen in
the words, "your faith develops perseverance."
To endure means to remain under a load full
of burdens, to have staying power, to hold fast.
Perseverance refers to the steadfastness in the face
of difficulties.

[ Page ] 11



Pulse of our "Trials-Mix"

   In light of these four truths about the nature of
trials, let us get a pulse reading of our own "trials
mix" - given the current set of circumstances we are
in. Please do not ignore these questions. Remember:
"An unexamined life is not worth living."

   First, think through this set of questions:
What are the various trials that we are facing
nowadays? Are they external in nature? If they
are, can we find these external tests in the physical,
emotional, financial, relational, or spiritual area
of our lives? Or are they a combination of these
external areas?

   Are our struggles internal? Do they entice us
to give in or give up, tempt us to compromise or
complain, and lure us to criticize or concede? Or
if they are not purely external or internal, can our
trials be described as a mix of external troubles
and internal temptations?

[ Page ] 12



   Second, reflect on this next set of questions:
Do we already accept the reality that troubles are
regular visitors in our lives? Or do
we still deny or resist this humbling
truth? Do we treat them as a friend or
as an enemy? The earlier we realize
that trials always come our way, the
more we can be ready to face them
and even realistically welcome them.

[ Paragraph located on the right side column of the page ]
The earlier we
realize that trials
always come our
way, the more
we can be ready
to face them and
even realistically
welcome them.

   Third, reflect on this set of
questions: Do we allow our trials to strengthen our
faith by spiritual exercise? Or do we weaken our
faith by spiritual neglect? Do we let our trials help
us become more spiritually skilled and seasoned?
Or do we get more spiritually unskilled and less
tempered amid our trials?

   Fourth, work through this last set of questions:
Do we move toward more endurance despite all our
trials? Or are we less motivated to persevere now, in
light of the heaviness of our hardships? Would we
rather go on with life? Or would we rather stay stuck

[ Page ] 13



where we are now? Do we make things difficult for
others because our life is full of difficulties?

   All our answers to these questions assess the
amount of growth that we are willing to have.
They determine the level of maturity that we want
trials to add into our lives.

Call for Perseverance

   Whatever our struggles are, we should
commit to persevere. A poem about a persevering
frog shows the true value of never giving up - no
matter what. Here's the poem:

Two frogs fell into a can of cream,
Or so I've heard it told.
The sides of the can were shiny and steep,
The cream was deep and cold.
“Oh, what's the use?" croaked number one
“ Tis fate, no help's around.
Good-bye, my friend!
Good-bye, sad world!"
And weeping still, he drowned.

[ Page ] 14



But number two, of sterner stuff
Dog-paddled in surprise.
Then while he wiped his creamy face,
And dried his creamy eyes.
"I'll swim awhile at least," he said,
Or so I've heard he said;
"It really wouldn't help the world,
If one more frog were dead."
An hour or two he kicked and swam,
Not once he stowed to mutter.
But kicked and kicked and swam and kicked,
Then hopped out, via butter!"

[ Paragraph located on the right side column of the page ]
Perseverance
does not thrive
in passivity
or pessimism,
inactivity or
hopelessness. It
seeks to bring
out the best
in us.

   Perseverance — the way the frog showed it —
always works wonders. It involves active pursuits
of paddling, kicking, and swimming until we get
out of trouble. Perseverance does not thrive in
passivity or pessimism, inactivity or hopelessness.
It seeks to bring out the best in us.

   There may be times when we wonder, "Would
my perseverance really work? Would my best
perseverance be good enough?" When these times
and questions come, just remember the snail. It is by
perseverance that a pair of snail reached Noah's ark!

[ Page ] 15



"4 Perseverance must finish
its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking
anything."

-James 1:4 (NIV)

[ Page 16 ]



CHAPTER 1.2

Trials Perfect Us
(James 1:4)

Trials do not only make us mature, they also
perfect us. As a Chinese proverb says, "A gem
cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected
without trials." Indeed, trials possess a polishing,
perfecting, and maximizing effect.

Perseverance to the End

   In practical terms, how do we maximize our
lives? James shows us how. He appeals to his
audience, "Perseverance must finish its work so
that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything" (James 1:4).

[ Page ] 17



   We are called to persevere until the end. We
are called to persevere, even when the load does
not get lighter. We are called to persevere, even
when people do not cheer us along the way.

   An emperor in China was once asked
what six things are important to have in life.
He replied, "Patience, patience, patience;
endurance, endurance, endurance." We need
patience, endurance, and perseverance until the
end because of the three results that our non-
quitting attitude brings us.

Rewarding Results of Perseverance

   First, trials make us "perfect." To be
perfect does not mean to be sinless, but to
be mature. It means being fully grown, as
opposed to a spiritual babe, who is unskilled
in the world of righteousness. In other words,
to be perfect means to be mature in one area
of our lives.

[ Page ] 18



   Second, trials make us "complete." To be
complete literally means to be "entire or thorough
in all parts." In our case, it means that the entirety
of the Christian virtues is constantly being added
to our personal spiritual account. To be complete
means to be mature in a growing number of areas
in our lives.

   The words "perfect" and "complete" are set in the
context of Grecian athletic games. When an athlete
joins one of the Olympic games and then wins, he is
said to be "perfect." When the same athlete joins five
Olympic games (or the pentathlon) and then wins in
all five, he is said to be "complete."

   Similarly, when God gives us an area of life
to work on, he wants us to mature (i.e., to be
"perfect") in that area. Later on, when he adds
other areas of life to work on, he wants us to also
mature (i.e., to be "complete").

   Simply put, when God opens up those areas, it
means that we are ready to mature in facing them.

[ Page ] 19



We are required to see those areas worked on until
the end - knowing that God will be with us.

   Third, aside from the results of maturity and
completeness, trials make us lack in nothing. The
last part of verse 2 states, "not lacking anything." In
other words, we are ably, aptly, and amply supplied
with all our needs for growth and maturity.


   If we persevere until the end,
we reap the rewarding harvest of
perseverance. We mature. We grow
in all areas of our lives. We have all
our needs provided. We experience
a maximized life. But again, all these
come with endurance that lasts.

[ Paragraph located on the left hand column of the page ]
"If we persevere
until the end,
we reap the
rewarding
harvest of
perseverance.
We mature. We
grow in all areas
of our lives."

   In the succeeding context, James
again picks up the value of persevering until the
end. He said, "Blessed is the man who perseveres
under trial, because when he has stood the test,
he will receive the crown of life that God has
promised to those who love him" (1:12).

[ Page ] 20



   A Persian legend tells of a certain king who
needed a persevering servant in his royal court. He
had two candidates for the needed position. So he put
them to a test. With the same wages, the applicants
were to fill a basket with water from a nearby well.

   The king said, "Your job is to drain the water
from the well using a basket with little holes on
the sides of the basket." Then the king left the
two applicants, saying that he would come in the
evening to inspect their work.

   After dumping three buckets of water into the
basket, the first applicant said, "What is the point
of doing this useless work? As soon as we get
water from the well, the water runs out from the
holes in the basket. This is foolish!"

   The second applicant said, "We have our
wages, haven't we? The point in our job is the king's
business, not ours." But the complainer replied, "I'm
not going to do this crazy job." Angrily, he threw his
bucket and went away.

[ Page ] 21



   The other applicant stayed on until he
finished draining the water from the well. When
he looked at the bottom of the
well, he saw something shining
brightly. It was a diamond ring.

[ Paragraph located on the left hand column of the page ]
When trials come our
way, God gives us the
job to drain the water
from the well until we
discover the diamond
ring in our trials.

   The persevering applicant
said to himself, "Now I see the
point of pouring the water into
the basket with holes. If the
bucket had brought up the diamond ring before
the well was dry, it would have been found in the
basket. Our work is not useless."

   When the king returned, the second applicant
gave the diamond ring and was hired for the
important position. The servant's perseverance
truly paid off.

   When trials come our way, God gives us
the job to drain the water from the well until
we discover the diamond ring in our trials. But
before we discover the precious gem, we need

[ Page ] 22



to persevere until the end. That's where maturity
and a maximized life are unearthed and come out
shining like diamond.

Welcome Trials

   To apply these two lessons on trials, let's do
two things. First, let's welcome trials. We need
to be ready for them and not resist them. We can
welcome trials by thanking God and trusting him.

   Think of a current trial or a set of trials that
has come your way. Maybe it came recently or
has been with us for quite a long time. Yet, up
until now, we have not been welcoming this trial
as a friend. Instead, we have been resisting it . So
today, can we decide to welcome it once and for all
with a prayer of thanks and trust to God?

   We can express to him our prayer of thanks
and trust, like this: "Father, thank you that this
trial is for my good. It is meant to make me mature. I

[ Page ] 23



welcome this trial as your means of maximizing me. I 
trust that you know what you're doing. I entrust this
area of my life to yon. I entrust to yon everything and
everyone related to this trial. Amen."

Don't Give Up

   Second, let's not give up in any area that
God gives us to work on. Though our trials may
discourage or disappoint us greatly, and though
these same trials may disturb or even depress
us deeply, let's continue to persevere. "In trying
times, don't quit trying."

[ Paragraph located on the left hand side column of the page ]
"The best way out of
our discouragement is
to encourage someone
else who is going
through a big trial in
his or her life."

   The best way out of our
discouragement is to encourage
someone else who is going
through a big trial in his or her life.
Find a way today to help someone
who feels helpless. Give hope to
someone who feels hopeless. Motivate someone not
to quit. Share this poem with him or her:

[ Page ] 24



DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And when you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit -
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When we might have won, had we stuck it out.
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,

[ Page ] 25



It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that yon mustn't quit.

   Let's remember to encourage one another
not to quit. Let's also remember the insight of
Ian MacLaren, who said, "The highest joy to the
Christian almost always comes through suffering.
No flower can bloom in paradise, which is not
transplanted from Gethsemane."

   Our trials are like flowers transplanted from
Gethsemane. Let us make them bloom amid our
suffering so we can grow toward a mature and
maximized life.

[ Page ] 26



We rejoice when we passed
life's simple tests. But we must
realize further that God in His
unfathomable wisdom allows
life's little struggles to prepare
us for the worse yet to come.
And yet still, it is our total
dependence on Him that carries
us to victory.

- N.M. Sosmena

[ Page 27]



   "5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he
should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it
will be given to him. 6But when he
asks, he must believe and not doubt,
because he who doubts is like a wave
of the sea, blown and tossed by the
wind. 7That man should not think he
will receive anything from the Lord;
8he is a double-minded man, unstable
in all he does."

-James 1:5-8 (NIV)

[ Page 28 ]



LIFECHANGE SERIES

How God Works. 
When we are worried and weary
Narry F. Santos
ISBN 971-92796-2-1 (pbk..)
ISBN 971-92796-3-X (pbd.).

How God Works.
When we are tried & tempted
Narry F. Santos
ISBN 971-92796-5-6 (pbk.)
ISBN 971-92796-64 (pbd.)

How God Works.
When our temper & tongue 
are out of control
Narry F. Santos
ISBN 971-92796-8-0 (pbk.)
ISBN 971-92796-7-2 (pbd.)

[ End page a ]



   This book calls on us to take a fresh look at
the dynamics of hiya with one eye on our
cultural context and with the other eye
on the biblical content. Looking at both culture and
Christianity in perspective will not only help us to see
the honor in hiya, but will also transform us to walk
with honor - in the same way that Jesus turned his
shameful death into something honorable.

Turning our shame into honor
Narry F. Santos
ISBN 971-92796-1-3 (pbd.)
ISBN 971-92796-0-5 (pbk.)

[ End page b ]



The publisher and author would love to hear from you.

PLEASE CONTACT US AT:

Life change
Publishing, Inc.

96-B Panay Avenue, Brgy. South Triangle
Quezon City 1103, Philippines
Telephone: (632) 374-5996 • Fax: (632) 374-5997
E-mail: lifechange@1-manila.com.ph

[ End page c ]
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