God’s shepherding care for us in this rough-and-tumble world provides comfort not instead of but in spite of trials.   Just think:

Jesus teaches, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).  His disciples who mourn are blessed, right here and now.  Future comfort is promised, to be sure—and we may be given a foretaste of heavenly consolation in this life.  But the full realization of such comfort arrives in the age to come.

Jesus summons languishing souls, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  And yet, this side of heaven our rest is mingled with stress and strain:  Jesus also says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). 

The Apostle Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).  But he issues this challenge from a prison cell—so, obviously, the life of joy we’re called to is not an escape from trials but a place of peace in the midst of them. 

This principle stands out is 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.  God “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (v 4).  His strategy is not to remove us from turbulent waters, but to hold us even as we are swept along by them.  And he has a good purpose for this:  “so that” we are better equipped to love and encourage sufferers around us. 

So, then, what does it look like to walk by faith?  Humble trust means being willing to step forward in the midst of hardship, knowing that God is at work for our good (and the good of others) through those adversities.   Therefore, if your reflex is to assume that trials signal a failure on God’s part, think again.  The Lord is good and wise and powerful, he will never leave or forsake his children, and he can be trusted.  Even in our pain.  Our Heavenly Father longs to give good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11).