In the natural, an enduring phenomena that thoroughly tests both patience and comfort is going through nine months of pregnancy. Not only does pregnancy become increasingly physically uncomfortable and often unbearable, but it tests the reserves of mental and emotional patience to the maximum, especially towards the very far end of pregnancy. Which is right before our patience produces a perfect work. In the same way, trials and tribulations often prevail for an extended period. And it is through enduring the extended period without grumbling (Philippians 2:12) that our trials produce patience (James 1:3), and patience produces character, and character hope (Romans 5:4).

     In that sense, the patience produced by trials and tribulations is deliberately represented by God through the principle of the 9 month gestation period of pregnancy. By faith, a mother and father believe she will carry successfully to term. And when she does, the joy that is found on the other side of her labour pains is overwhelming and complete. And all the angst and pain preceding that joyful occasion, emblematic of our spiritual trials and tribulations, is soon forgotten with the intense joy that follows immediately thereafter. On the other side of her faith, her patience produces it’s perfect work. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” ‭‭(James‬ ‭1:2-4‬).

     When we face trials and tribulations, it’s the season in which our faith effectively goes into labour. Going hand in hand with “going into labour” is “birth pains”. Trials and tribulations represent birthing milestones along our spiritual pilgrimage towards maturity in Christ. They are invitations to growth in the spiritual maturity continuum. When our faith goes into labour in our lives, where the persecution and trials of situations, circumstances and men challenge us, where, for example, they tempt to offend our composure and peace of mind, these uncomfortable circumstances usher us into the wine press of Gethsemane. And as part of the developmental process that works in us to produce patience, part of that process is to learn to not grumble or judge those who are instrumental in our trials and tribulations, but in all things to thank God, for He uses our circumstances to take us from one trimester of maturity to the next so that when we eventually come out of the other side of the gestation period of our faith, our trials and tribulations give birth to a greater spiritual maturity, an increased faith, and a greater demonstration of the power of God in our lives through overcoming so that we will “all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

     And this is absolutely foundational. For at the heart of everything, God our Father tells us clearly that “without faith”, we cannot please Him. So then, what ultimately pleases God our Father? It’s the perfect work that patience produces through faith that immediately follows on the far side of our trials and tribulations. Which is both the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen. Which is spiritual maturity as sons and daughters through overcoming through faith. Each trimester along the maturity continuum ushers in a new dispensation or measure of faith and maturity. And going hand in hand with this new level of faith and maturity is a new level of relationship and intimacy. And a fuller measure of stature of Christ.

     An often avoided subject out of fear and trepidation is “end-time tribulation”. In the same sense, end-time tribulation is the same paradigm of “labour pains”, being those labour pains “at the end of this time” that will earmark the season according to God’s master plan where the church or the body of Christ (just as for the human body) will collectively go through in giving birth to a new dispensation of the church. And just as where pain precedes birth, the joy that follows immediately upon that prophesied occasion will be synonymous with the most overwhelming of joys. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5). This church will be the church where God’s power and provision, His peace and joy, and the invisible qualities of His divine nature and eternal power (Romans 1:20) will be entirely evident and unshakable, being the point along the maturity continuum for the body of Christ where both His authority and His power will live and walk alongside each other in all His glory.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.“

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)