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I'm sure all of us have at one time or another heard the term "the trials and temptations of life", but are they synonyms? Do they really mean the same thing? We previously studied about his temptations and now we're talking about trials, so what is the difference? If you recall, when we studied temptations we discussed the fact that God never tempts us. Why do we know this, yielding to temptation puts us into the act of sinning. God never wants us to sin. James 1:13, 14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Another thing we learned about temptations is that we can and should remove temptations from our life and our husbands' life when we can. What do we know about trials?

The dictionary defines trial as the act of trying, something hard to do, trouble. The first thing that popped into my mind when I read that definition was a toddler. Remember how we stand them up and entice them to walk? A toddler may only take a step or two and they fall. We clap and cheer, tell them they are wonderful and stand them back up to take another step or two. How long do you suppose it would take for a child to learn to walk if we were saying "no, you'll fall, you might get hurt?" How long would it take if we carried them everywhere? Just as we can not protect a child from learning to walk, we can not protect our husbands from the trials of their faith. Psalm 37:23, 24 the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

The dictionary defines trying=to put to a test, subject to strain, refine by melting. Somehow, that doesn't sound too pleasant. So why should we endure the trials that God puts into our lives? James 1:3, 4 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. I'm not suggesting that you pray for patience for your husband, but pray that he will stay close to God when he is faced with trials.

Refine=to become pure, to free of worthless matter and remove impurities. Job 23:10 but he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. How exciting, God looks at you and me and he sees the 24 caret pure gold. He then melts us, refines us, skims off the impurities and molds us to His image. Why would God bother to refine me? God bothers because Christ bought me with His blood. Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

His Integrity

A man of integrity is not swayed by peer pressure, financial gain, or threats. He knows what he believes and stands firm in that belief. His word is his bond. A person of integrity does right even when no one is looking.

Many people in our society have lost sight of this concept. Where society inundates us with situation ethics, getting by with the minimum effort, cutting corners every chance you get, taking sick days because they are there, over charging because the government is paying the bill. It is very hard to find a person of integrity.

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