God Doesn’t Prevent Us from Trials, Rather, He Sees Us Through Them!

In our walk with the Lord, we sometimes hope that faith will spare us from suffering. But the Bible tells a deeper, truer story—one of a God who does not always prevent trials, but who always walks with us through them. From lion’s dens to stormy seas, from prison cells to places of deep sorrow, God has never failed His people—and He will not fail you now.

Too often we read the scriptures and just consider them as stories, or perhaps things that don’t apply to us today. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’d like to discuss four experiences that happened in the bible, and what God would like us to know in how they all relate to us personally…today…right at this moment in our lives.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den: Faith While Staring into the Eyes of Death.Remember Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den? Daniel of all people. Would you not think that Daniel would go through life without any challenges? Protected, and watched over by our loving God. Yet, even Daniel was not spared challenge, one that perhaps might just freak out you and me.

Daniel’s enemies could find no fault in him—except in his unwavering faith. When the law forbade prayer to any but the king, Daniel continued to seek his God, kneeling three times a day as was his custom.

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house… he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
—Daniel 6:10 (KJV)

Daniel was a faithful man of God, and because of his excellent character, King Darius planned to promote him over the whole kingdom. This made other government officials jealous, so they plotted against him. They tricked the king into making a law that anyone who prayed to anyone other than the king for 30 days would be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel, knowing the law, continued to pray to God openly, just as he always had. The conspirators reported Daniel to the king, and though Darius didn’t want to punish Daniel, he couldn’t change the law.

So, Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. But the king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” That night, the king couldn’t sleep and rushed to the den early the next morning. When he called out to Daniel, Daniel answered:

“My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.” (Daniel 6:22)

The king was overjoyed and had Daniel lifted out—completely unharmed.

God did not prevent Daniel from having a trial—Rather, He stepped into it with him.

Jonah in the Belly of the Fish:

Jonah was a prophet who tried to flee from God’s command to preach in Nineveh. He boarded a ship going the opposite direction. God sent a great storm, and the sailors, realizing Jonah was the cause, threw him overboard.

Instead of drowning, Jonah was swallowed by a “great fish” (Jonah 1:17). He spent three days and three nights inside its belly. During that time, Jonah prayed to God—a heartfelt prayer of repentance, desperation, and trust in God’s mercy (Jonah 2).

You can view this story from two perspectives: One of “punishment for sin,” and another from the perspective of incredible challenge where Jonah felt that the result could be certain death.

I find wisdom through both perspectives. Both you and me find ourselves facing difficult challenges that are laid out into our mortal journey. Some challenges are the result of sin, and some are just given to us even when we are living the “Best of the Best” in our lives.

But Jonah, being inside the belly of a whale turned his Heavenly Father, and sought Him in prayer.

“I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.”
—Jonah 2:2 (KJV)

After Jonah’s prayer, God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land (Jonah 2:10). That’s how he escaped—God intervened and caused the fish to release him.

So, Jonah was saved not by his own effort, but by:

• God’s grace
• His repentance and prayer
• A miraculous act of deliverance

And another example of TRIAL for righteous people:

Paul and Silas in Prison — Acts 16:16–40

Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi, spreading the gospel. One day, they encountered a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination. She made a lot of money for her owners by fortune-telling. For days, she followed Paul and Silas, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved!”

Though what she said was true, the constant shouting became a distraction. Paul, deeply troubled, finally turned to the spirit and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her immediately.

Her owners were furious—they’d just lost their source of income. So, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them before the authorities, and accused them of causing chaos. The crowd joined in, and the magistrates had them stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison, placing them under heavy guard. The jailer locked them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in stocks.

But here’s the amazing part…

Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake—so powerful that it shook the prison’s foundations. The doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

The jailer woke up and saw the open doors. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

Trembling, the jailer rushed in and fell before Paul and Silas. Then he asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They told him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” That very night, the jailer washed their wounds, and he and his entire family were baptized. He brought them into his home and fed them, rejoicing because he and his household had come to believe in God.

The next day, the magistrates sent word to release them, but Paul insisted on a public acknowledgment because they had been Roman citizens, and what was done to them was illegal. The authorities were afraid and came to appease them, escorting them out of prison. Paul and Silas visited Lydia, a believer, and encouraged the brothers and sisters before leaving the city.

And the last…

Peter the Apostle in Prison — Acts 12:1–19

This happened during a time when King Herod Agrippa I began to persecute the early church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death by the sword, and when he saw that this pleased the Jewish leaders, he decided to arrest Peter too.

It was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, so after arresting Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison, planning to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. But Herod wasn’t taking any chances—he had Peter guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. That’s sixteen soldiers, just to make sure one man didn’t escape!

But here’s the key line:

“But the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” — Acts 12:5

The night before his trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and more guards stood at the entrance. He was locked down tight.

And then—a miracle happened.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side to wake him up and said, “Quick, get up!” As he did, the chains fell off his wrists.

The angel told him, “Put on your clothes and sandals,” and then said, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

Peter followed him out of the prison, but he thought it was a vision—he didn’t even believe it was really happening! They passed the first and second guard posts, and then they came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened by itself, and they walked out into the street. After walking a bit further, the angel suddenly left.

Peter finally came to himself and said:

“Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen to me.”

He went straight to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many believers were gathered praying.

When he knocked at the outer entrance, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. She recognized Peter’s voice and was so overjoyed that she ran back without even opening the door! She told everyone, “Peter is at the door!”

They didn’t believe her. “You’re out of your mind,” they said.

But she kept insisting. Finally, they opened the door—and there he was! Peter motioned for them to be quiet and told them everything that had happened. Then he left for a safer place.

So, as these experiences relate to us… First off, it is imperative that we realize that challenges come to all of us, regardless of if we are living a righteous life or not. We can also expect challenges that will come to us as a result of the sins or disobedience, that we participate in. Let us stop questioning God for the trials that we receive, for He does not see preventing challenges as the go-to solution for our lives.

In all four of these stories, we see that the miracle and the hand of God was not in preventing the challenges, but rather in RESPONDING to the challenges that all of these me were in.

We know that we are living in the last days. And, with that knowledge, we can expect challenges in our life. It is very appropriate in praying for God to keep us safe and protected, and in having faith that He can very well do this for us. But, just like the example above, God will also ALLOW challenges to come into our life. (This does not mean that He is not answering your prayers).

And, through these examples, when we find ourselves right in the middle of a very difficult situation, we should then follow the example us those listed above, and pray to have God be with us, and to see us through. Then you and I should have faith that God will perform miracles to rescue us from these dangers, if it is His will.

Can you see the wisdom in God’s “parenting”? He doesn’t keep us in the protective environment of using a “walker” as a child, to endure that we never fall. He allows us to be free so that we can grow, stumble and fall as we face hardships in our life.

We need to exercise our faith in Him, and I can tell you from personal experience that my greatest development in my faith in God has come when my life has been the most difficult. Again, can you see the wisdom in God’s strategy in developing you into something greater?

I write this article today, to give you an additional tool in preparing for the end-times. Let us use these examples in our own lives as we come upon difficult times. God will not abandon us! Even at the hands of our captures, He will see us through. I invite you to ask for His strength in applying this Faith into your own life, for it is indeed “armor” as we participate in the battle of Good vs Evil.

May you know that you are just as important as those listed above. God loves you! You are His son or Daughter…He is your Father. And, being the perfect “Dad” He is interested in helping you ride this “Bike of Life.” Trust in Him, and you will see… There is NOTHING to fear.

You can read more of River Wilde’s writings by subscribing to his blog at www.riverwilde.blog