No Trial Has Come To You But What Is Human, 1 Cor. 10-13

We are reminded in the opening verses of the tenth chapter of Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians of the protections and the blessings that the Chosen People were given, and that even though they were blessed, they fell away in every conceivable way. And we are given a warning not to do the same ourselves. And Paul is specific, warning us against becoming idolaters, or getting caught up in the excesses of drink or sensual/sexual immorality, and most of all, not to test Christ’s mercy and compassion. He reminds us, too, of our tendency to grumble and complain. All of these things are contrary to the blessings we have been so generously given.

We are quite capable of seeing and judging those things in the behavior of others. Paul is aware of the fact that we don’t often see our failings quite so readily. He warns us again, writing: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind” (1 Cor. 10:12). Just like when the Jews, in their long history, took their eyes off of God, they got lost and suffered the consequences of giving in to their temptations. But Paul also tells us that despite all of our foolishness, God remains faithful to us.

“No trial has come to you but what is human” (v. 13). This is true. Our trials are often the result of our own decisions and actions. They are directly connected to our willful, self-centered desires and selfish demands. This is what happens when we begin to think that we are, or ought to be, the center of everything, that we are or should be entitled to having our wants always fulfilled. But if we are self-reflective enough, we can usually follow the trail of our troubles back to their real, rather than their imaginary source. Still, a humble sense of humor is valuable in life, too. It reveals a sense of balance. As the cartoon character, Pogo, said after experiencing the painful, unintended consequences of a foolish decision, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” But there is more, too.

“God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it” (v. 13). We all make mistakes, fall from grace on occasion, but if we keep our eyes on God; if we continue to trust in his love and mercy, he will always remain faithful to us. He will always give us the graces we need to stay strong in the face of those temptations that are most common and familiar to us. Trials come to all of us. They take many forms. They test us to our perceived limits where we feel on the edge, or alone, on the verge of giving up, but we can hear and trust Paul’s inspired insight in his Letter to the Romans when he writes: “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who (or what) can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things” (Rm. 8: 31-32)?

We know that we are sinners, but more importantly, we can come to know and believe in the love and the forgiving mercy of God, that his love is faithful, certain, and absolute to those who put their trust in him. When we begin to recognize our weaknesses, and when we begin to see the wisdom of turning them over to God for his help, even when we fail and trials come to us, we can trust that he will also “provide a way out, so that we may be able to bear it”. Thanks be to God whose love is everlasting!