WORSHIP ARTICLE | Kyle Boyd | Wichata, Kansas
“Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:1-4, NASB2020)
For years I had studied and taught these verses at my local congregation. With the help of my Uncle, gospel preacher Warren Berkley, I had built up a good level of understanding and confidence to, almost proudly, educate and guide an adult Bible class. Despite being relatively young and worse, having members in the congregation who were truly enduring trials, I boldly instructed on the topic of suffering even though I myself had not experienced real trials. Of course you don’t need to be actively enduring a trial to understand the message and you don’t need to be suffering to be qualified to teach the message but it sure helps. It helps you to have better understanding, be relatable and to have the ears of the people.
The first article I wrote for Grow Magazine was a number of years ago over the topic of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew emphasizes kingdom citizenship. If you want to be in the kingdom you need to behave a certain way and nothing describes those requirements better than the Sermon on the Mount. What did Jesus say about trials and the persecuted at the end of the beatitudes?
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)
Persecution, trials, tests, suffering…. different words that may carry slightly different meanings yet all handled the same. They all hurt, they’re all difficult and Satan is behind them. 20 years later James echoes the same idea. And where did he learn that teaching? From his big brother Jesus. James isn’t creating some new idea, he’s carrying on Christ’s idea that Christians will face real pain but because of Him it’s going to be okay. Listen to James’s “beatitude” that echoes this from verse 12,
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
This is our goal during our trial.
James’ letter to the Jewish Christians under persecution immediately prepares us to be ready for these difficulties and burdens. At some point in your life as a Christian you will encounter “various trials”. Probably not like theirs but the principle is the same and it’s not a question of if but when. Paul’s words to Timothy come to mind when he says, “all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” But not everyone’s persecution will look the same. The only thing that is the same is that everyone will be included. Perhaps the reason I had most often studied the verses of James, out of all the topics in Scripture, was because I was being prepared for the trial I was about to encounter. At only 15 years old my oldest child was diagnosed with Stage 4 advanced brain cancer. Few things seem to rock someone as much as cancer does. And sadly, it’s happening more and more. A question comes to mind through when thinking about trials. Knowing their inevitability, how do we move forward staying faithful despite the trial? Or as the title of the article suggests, how do we worship in the midst of suffering? Because the reality of the matter is how we handle our circumstances matters most. As Christians we want to handle our circumstances regardless of what they are. Good or bad, sunshine or storm. We want to be able to sing, “It is well with my soul”. We want to have the beautiful result that withstanding a test can bring. Or as James says, “so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
This is nothing new, just a couple of thoughts that helped my family and me during our trial. Consider these when your trial hits you to help you endure and keep faithful while suffering.
Power
The first is to remember God’s power over everything. Satan may be the power behind the cruelties of the world, he may be to blame for sin and for our trial but never forget who has power over Satan. God is more powerful than the devil and by proxy so are we. Of course we don’t have God’s power but God has equipped us through His Word to be able to withstand any storm we may encounter. God has the power to prevent the devil from overwhelming us with something we can’t endure. He promises that nothing will be too great for us to handle. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says,
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
That word “temptation” is the same Greek word used for “trials” in James 1:2 This gives us power over Satan and over our trial. This doesn’t make anything easier though. Trials hurt. They’re painful and don’t always resolve the way we’d like but trials don’t make us powerless despite sometimes feeling that way. Because there’s a way of escape, this gives us confidence that no matter the situation we can stay faithful.
I’m reminded of Paul’s letter to the Philippians who, despite his difficult circumstances, continued a faithful life and even rejoiced in his circumstances. He did this by finding his strength through Christ. Paul recognized that he couldn’t withstand his trials alone. Neither can we, by the way. By himself he was weak. It was only through Christ that he was made strong. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul couldn’t but Christ could. He is the source of our power and strength over cancer, anxiety, bad news and any other trial we face. Paul wasn’t winning when he wrote the letter to the Philippians while in prison, but he was winning because he was in Christ. And that’s the key. If you stay in Christ during your trial then you will be okay. Paul said it’s what Christ was doing in him that was sustaining him. He was okay, not because he was amazing, but because Christ is amazing. Jesus helps us live with defeat. He sustained Paul and he’ll sustain us through our trial if we recognize this. Stay faithful and lean on Him like you’ve never leaned before. Recognize God’s power.
People
Secondly, rest on God’s people. Sometimes it helps to know you’re not alone. It helps to know that what you’re experiencing has been experienced before many times over. Open your Bible to almost any page and you’ll most likely find someone going through a hard time. I’d make an argument that the entire Bible is about this. Joseph dealing with his brothers and Potiphar’s wife. David fleeing for his life from Saul. Job’s massive trial of complete loss. Paul’s shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonments, and of course his “thorn in the flesh” described as a “messenger of Satan”. God’s people handle difficulties, showing us the blueprint of how to deal with trials. We can learn what worked and what didn’t and we can use their experiences to help us with ours. When rocked with suffering, look to the stories of old to help us know others have faced the same. Study Joseph, David, Paul and Job to gain strength, perspective and confidence. Also consider 1 Peter 5, specifically verses 6-10. Peter discusses the suffering of God’s people, the source of suffering, the solution and beautifully at the end, the reward.
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
But also look at your congregation. I can’t imagine navigating the troubled waters of cancer without a church family, local and beyond. The “beautiful fallout” as once described to me. My heart hurts for those who don’t have this support. Paul says, “Bear one another’s burden’s.” This is where God’s people shine. When you’re weak, they will be strong and will lift you up. Let your church family embrace you. They will prop you up and encourage you with a support you’ve never felt before. It’s needed and it works. They will keep you in the fight when you want to throw in the towel. They will keep you worshiping in the midst of suffering. When you’re not on your knees in prayer, surround yourself with God’s people who don’t work for Satan.
There are many other ways that Christians can manage trials and offer praise while in the midst of suffering. Time has failed me to mention immersing yourself in the Word (specifically the Psalms), using the trial to help others and of course praying without ceasing. The following passage concludes this article by summing up both points of God’s power and His people.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written: “For your sake we are killed all day long; we were regarded as sheep to the slaughter.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)
Trust that He will handle what is beyond our control, that trials are expected but we can overcome through Christ.
– A PLEA FOR PRAYER –
For those of you who have read this article, please pray for my son Eli who continues to battle this horrible disease.
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GROW magazine | April 2026 PDF
a work of the Limestone Church of Christ
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