Mga kapatid, magalak kayo kapag kayo’y dumaranas ng iba’t ibang uri ng pagsubok. Dapat ninyong malaman na nagiging matatag ang inyong pananampalataya sa pamamagitan ng mga pagsubok.

Santiago 1:2–3 MBB

Pag nababasa natin sa Bible ang tungkol sa trials, kadalasan ay naiisip natin ang mga Cristiano na pinapatay o pinaparusahan dahil sa kanilang pananampalataya. At iyan naman talaga ang konteksto ng pagsulat ni Santiago sa lahat ng mananampalataya noong panahon niya. 

Pero hindi kailangang life-threatening para maituring natin ang isang bagay na pagsubok. Ang sabi ni Santiago, “iba’t ibang uri ng pagsubok” or “various trials.” These trials do not refer to consequences suffered by Christians due to their sin. But these are hardships and sufferings we experience even as we follow the Lord in every situation we are put in. These may include tiny irritants that cause our blood pressure to rise or give us sleepless nights. Tiny irritants may include a colleague at work or classmate who is lazy and dumps the work on you. Or it may be a difficult manager who always finds fault in all that we do and shamelessly embarrasses us in front of our team members. Worse, when something bad happens, she blames us, even though the fault is 95% hers. 

When these happen, we tend to fight. We go back to our old ways of retaliating and imagining how we can harm the person so she would realize her mistakes. Or sometimes, we take the path of least resistance and leave in a huff. Fight or flee? Ito lang ba ang option mo?

May pangatlong option: isumbong mo kay Lord. Ipagdasal mo na magkaroon ka ng lakas at pasensya para mapagtagumpayan mo ang trial na dinaranas mo. Alalahanin na ang trial na pinagdaraanan mo ay nakakapagpalakas ng faith. Sometimes, God will answer by taking you or the difficult person away from your situation. Many times, we pray this way: “Lord, tanggalin mo na siya sa buhay ko.” But sometimes the Lord will answer your prayers by keeping you in the situation. He knows that it is best to use the current trial to strengthen your faith and build your character.