Christians: How would u define "trials and tribulations"?

Question

BE SPECIFIC IF U CAN. What kind of things in life fit into that criteria?

Answer 1

Dealing Wisely With Temptation 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
As believers, we sometimes hear wrong information about temptation. For instance, many people believe that feeling tempted is sinful. But Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert (Matthew 4:1). If the Lord remained righteous after being encouraged to do wrong, then temptation itself cannot be a sin. We must guard against false ideas that could disrupt our ability to stand strong.
The truth about temptation is that it’s an enticement to take our God-given desires beyond God-given limits. We all feel the pull of our natural, sinful selves to do and think things that are immoral. In this lifetime, we will never be so mature or spiritually minded that we can relax our vigilance. Satan will always try to capitalize on our weakness and selfish desires.
Temptation is based on fantasy — the capacity to enjoy something we want to possess or do, without actually taking any action. However, the lack of action is deceptive. We tell ourselves it’s okay just to think as long as we don’t act. But if we allow ourselves to dwell on a tempting thought, that idea connects to emotions and produces desire. Desire grows until a choice must be made about whether to act.
Temptation starts small — with a “one won’t hurt” attitude: One drink. One lie. One kiss. The problem is that once we give in, sin gets bigger and more demanding until one turns into a lifestyle. Thankfully, our Source of help is greater than both Satan and our fleshly desires. The key to victory over temptation is to protect our relationship with God.

Service With Strength
Colossians 1:10-12
Ministry isn’t something we do, but rather, it is something God does through us. So much fatigue and failure could be avoided if believers remembered that He is the source of strength. We serve Him using Spirit-provided resources. “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass,” promises the Word (1 Thessalonians 5:24). This means that the Lord assumes responsibility for enabling His children to carry out whatever work He calls them to do.
The Savior exemplifies this principle — He also did His earthly work through divine power. Upon His return from the wilderness, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, and He came preaching a Gospel of repentance. Here is what He said of Himself: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:10).
As co-heirs with Christ, believers are entitled to access that same spiritual strength. What a comfort to know that a divinely ordained ministry is not in our hands alone! Some other person may be able to do the work better or offer wider experience, but God does not look for servants who are gifted. He instead seeks out those willing to live in His strength. If we have done all we can through the power of the Holy Spirit, then we never have to wonder if we have done enough.

Are you discouraged? Tired? Ready to give up? God is ready to restore you to joyful service if you will simply ask Him to do His work through you.

Faith on Trial
1 Peter 4:12-19
Some days we feel as if our faith is on trial and Satan is running a cross-examination that challenges our confidence in God. But the only important question is this: Are you going to believe what the Lord says, no matter what He allows into your life?
The heavenly Father always has a purpose for testing believers' faith. He stretches us so that we will have a greater capacity to serve Him. Though we may sometimes feel we are at our limit, the process actually occurs gently, like stretching a new rubber band a little at a time. With each extension, we are able to accomplish more for His glory.
It is often easy to trust God for certain things more than others, but He desires our complete dependence, regardless of the situation. That is why He will test His children in the same area repeatedly until they can successfully bear up under the pressure. Afterward, they will be able to testify to non-Christians about what the Bible says and also about their own experience of divine help in dark valleys.
We will taste both success and failure as our faith is in the process of growing. The disciple Peter had a share of both. But each time the Lord stretched him, his capacity for service became greater. In the book of Acts, it is Peter who fearlessly preaches at Pentecost and also heals a lame man without a shred of doubt. (Acts 2:14-36; 3:1-7)

Our faith will be put on trial. If we are wise believers, we will respond by trusting God to stretch and develop our conviction until we are the men and women He desires us to be.

The Need for Increased Faith
Luke 17:1-6
This passage gives a wonderful exchange between Jesus and His disciples. The Lord made two statements that completely shocked His disciples. In response, they offered only one exclamation: "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5) What were the two things that demanded a greater level of personal faithfulness?
First, Jesus warned them that hardships would surely come. In this life, there is no escape from the sorrows of the world. As new believers, many people are shocked to discover that faith in Christ does not eradicate all of the adversity in their lives. Jesus never guaranteed a trouble-free life; in fact, He promised just the opposite. (John 16:33) Committed Christians, therefore, are certain to experience heartaches and disappointments at various times.
Second, Jesus commands total willingness to forgive others: "If your brother . . . repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him" (Luke 17:3-4).
The "seven times a day" language is an illustration of persistent forgiveness. It is the model by which all believers should live their lives. Christ's forgiveness is limitless. As His followers, who are indwelt by His Spirit, we should strive for that same level of grace in our interactions with others.
Hearing these high ideals, the disciples could make no other comment than "Increase our faith!" They knew the Christian life was beyond their own power; therefore, they asked Jesus to empower them to meet His standard

Holding On To Our Hope
Romans 5:1-5
If you are in a personal desert–a place where your hopes seem only a wavy mirage somewhere on the horizon–it is comforting to realize that God works there. Especially there.
"Odd as it sounds, the desert can offer a unique opportunity to experience the depth of God’s love.
"When you’re at the top of your game–praying with fierce joy, untroubled by temptation, triumphing in ministry, and you come to God and hear again the message that he loves you, it is a great thing.
"In the desert, though, the word of God’s love can speak to a deeper place in your heart. In the desert you come to God and you haven’t prayed well (or maybe at all), you have been battered by temptation, rocked by doubts, and feel you may be more hindrance than help to whatever work God may be doing in the world. Yet even so you hear the words, ‘I still love you. I could not love you more than I do now. I still want you for my child. Haven’t you learned? You are the object of my undying affection. You are the beloved.’
"To be loved when we are feeling lovable–that’s good. To be loved when we are feeling unlovely, unlovable–that’s life to someone who’s dying. That’s grace.

"The desert is the place where I can learn to live for the love of God."

Never Give Up
Hebrews 11:23-29
Winston Churchill, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister during World War II, included a now-famous quote in a speech to students of his former school: "Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty... Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
As Christians, we are called to wait on God until He acts on our behalf. In order to resist the urge to give up, we must not focus on our circumstances. Hebrews 11:17 says that Moses endured his trials "as seeing Him who is unseen" - he consistently looked for God and His will. Standing on the shore of the Red Sea while the Egyptians prepared an attack, Moses clung to God's promise of protection and called out, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13). The sea parted and the Israelites escaped what seemed to be an impossible situation.
Moses triumphed over many dangerous and difficult situations because he was committed to doing God's work. Too often modern believers are devoted to pleasure, comfort, or our "rights." When the Lord's will interferes with those priorities, we falter. But a genuine commitment to God with no exceptions means nothing can induce us to give up.
Our unchanging Lord never deserts His children; He encourages us to cast our cares on Him (Hebrews 13:5, 8; 1 Peter 5:7). These beautiful assurances are ours to claim when we are tempted to quit. Put your faith in Him, cling to His promises, and commit to His way. Never give up!
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Answer 2

Define Tribulations

Answer 3

Trials and tribulations are things that make you grow if you take it the right way. Sometimes something that looks good is not so and it becomes a tribulation, eg money might seem good but if you allow money to get to your head then it becomes a test and a tribulation. so many times illness, not getting what you want might seem a tribulation but in reality is something that will make you grow as a human being. I remember a woman who was in an accident and had her face totally deformed but had a great soul, I bet if she had not had that accident she would have been vain and superficial, this accident made her a beautiful human being even though her face wasnot beautiful.

Answer 4

Trials, The things in this life that attract us to do thing we don't want to do. I used many drugs over a number of years, I drink for years till I bleed inside. I didn't care. I didn't just wake up one day and decide to stop, I liked getting stoned to much. I slowly replaced things over time. My faith drive much of it along with family and realizing I have a purpose.

Jesus said that I would be hated because of his name, okay look at the way my faith is treated. So of it justified by the way many who claim it act but still even when one does live the belief they claim, well we are laughed at, made fun of, called all kinds of names. Some places we al not allowed to pray, or even to have a Bible.

Tribulation are the times that we go through when others choose to attack us for our faith. Many countries around the world if you claim faith in Jesus you can be put to death, if you are lucky only prison.

Now if you speak out from the pulpit with anything other than liberal views then the government and take away the tax status of the church. This year a Navy Chaplin was court marshaled for speaking the name of Jesus in a prayer. But this is only the begining much more is coming.

Everything for people laughing to prison and death just because of the name of Jesus. Yet the faith goes on.

Answer 5

In the Bible, "trials and tribulations" refer to the hardships. sufferings, persecutions, etc. that the people of God endure for His Name's sake or endure becuase they are believers and live under a different value system from the pagan world. In other words, for us Christians, "trials and tribulations" primarily refer to sufferings we endure BECAUSE we are Christians. However, in a wider sense, "trials and tribulations" could also include the general sufferings all human beings are subject to in this fallen world (disease, death, privation, natural disasters, temptations); BUT as they touch the Christian, they become the Biblical trials and tribulations in the EFFECT they have on the beleiver spiritually, psychologically, emotionaly etc. For example, a Christian parent who endures the loss (death) of a beloved child would be TEMPTED to resent and even hate God. Genuine beleivers pass such a test only with a great inner struggle; but in the end, when they do pass the test, their faith becomes even stronger because it is a faith that is confirmed and persevered under a severe challenge. Hope this helps you.

Answer 6

As a Christian, I can honestly say that some of the trials and tribulations I have gone through have been financial problems, health problems, emotional problems, and spiritual problems.

Answer 7

Okay, a shooting in Lancaster County, Pa. The last thing you would expect to happen, trial or tribulation. Bad things happening to good people. Or are you talking about last days? What you see happening now is nothing compared to when God says ENOUGH and he pours his wrath on mankind.

Answer 8

Good question!

Trials and tribulations can be anything that is contrary to the will of God. Namely the flesh. Temptations and strong desires to fulfill your own will and having a hard time submitting to the will of Almighty God. Since we still live in this body of our we will always be subjected to times of bitter conflict and spiritual warfare within ourselves as we are molded into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

None of us walk away unscathed from this life!

The trials, are HOW you cope with the tribulations in life.
Do you stand and be counted when times get rough, or do you fold like a house of cards?

Tribulations, are many, loss of a spouse, or child, parents, etc.
Loss of a job, esp. when you are older, not many want to take a chance on you anymore, they want youth.
Loss of your health, or someone close to you.
Loss of faith, when things continue to spiral out of control.
Many forms of tribulations, in everyday life!!

Life is full of pit-falls.........keep the faith, and it will keep you!!

Answer 10

I think that tribulations are "problems" like health, money, bad habits, things like that. Trials are are being placed in a situation where you are tempted to go one way or another, I once had a Bible School teacher say if sin wasn't tempting people wouldn't.That is just my definition.

Answer 11

Broken relationships. Losing a job. Being gossiped about. Having financial problems. Having health problems. If you're married, having marriage stresses. Perhaps your children are in trouble. Maybe your parents are ill, dying. All these things, that any human may face in the course of life and can test your faith. Jesus also promised that, no matter what, He would never leave nor forsake us.