Abraham and Melchizedek by Juan Antonio de Frías y Escalante, 1668
“GOD said to Avram, ‘Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.’”
Rashi points out that the Hebrew here—lech lecha—literally translates to, “Go for thyself.” He comments:
“Go forth for your own benefit, for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children.”
— Rashi on Genesis 12:1
Rashi understands HaShem’s call to Avraham as being for his own good. HaShem promises to make him into a great nation, to bless him, to make his name great, and to make him a blessing to others. And as we read, “Avram went forth as HaShem had commanded him” (Genesis 12:4).
Notice what happens almost immediately when Avraham arrives in the land of Canaan.
“There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.”
— Genesis 12:10
Avraham obeys HaShem’s call, which is described as being for his good—a blessing—and no sooner has he journeyed through Shechem toward the Negev than a severe famine strikes the land and he is forced to leave for Mitzrayim, Egypt.
According to the sages, this famine was a test—one of ten trials that Avraham faced throughout his lifetime—to see whether he would continue to obey despite the apparent setback. And, of course, he did. He eventually left Egypt and became “very rich in cattle, silver, and gold” (Genesis 13:2).
Avraham’s greatness cannot be understated. There is a reason HaShem chose him to be the progenitor of the Jewish people and of Messiah Yeshua himself according to the flesh. Pirkei Avot says:
“With ten trials was Avraham, our father, tried, and he withstood them all; to make known how great was the love of Abraham, our father.”
— Pirkei Avot 5:3
Avraham’s walk with HaShem demonstrates his great love, faith, and trust in HaShem. Repeatedly, he exercised faithfulness to HaShem under great pressure, and we see his spiritual maturity unfold across many encounters, culminating in the greatest test: offering up Yitzchak. Avraham, peace be upon him, passed every test.
This teaches us an important spiritual lesson: difficulties and challenges, trials and tribulations, suffering and loss, and even setbacks and failures are all part of the difficult and narrow path to eternal life.
Shimon Kefa, our Master Yeshua’s chief disciple, writes that we may be “grieved by various trials,” and that through them the genuineness of our faith is tested like gold refined by fire (1 Peter 1:6–7).
Shimon Kefa never describes this testing as easy or painless. He says these trials cause grief. Something happens to our faith as it passes through them. Faith is exercised. Its genuineness is proven. We learn whether we will continue trusting HaShem under pressure.
And Shimon Kefa knew this from experience.
Before Yeshua’s arrest, our Master warned him:
“Shimon, Shimon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
— Luke 22:31–32
That very night, Shimon Kefa denied Yeshua three times. Afterward, “he went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). His testing exposed a weakness he had not understood about himself.
This was not the end of his story. On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, our Master Yeshua restored him and commissioned him again: “Tend my sheep.”
Years later, this same Shimon Kefa could write to other disciples facing their own trials:
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
— 1 Peter 4:12
Do not be surprised.
We should expect that a life of discipleship will sometimes become difficult. We will encounter setbacks. We will struggle. We may discover weaknesses within ourselves that we did not know were there. We may even fail, as Shimon Kefa failed—God forbid.
Even if we do, HaShem has not abandoned us. Shimon Kefa tells us that our faith can be refined through these trials as we continue to turn back to HaShem.
After speaking about the testing of faith, he says:
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him.”
— 1 Peter 1:8
This is what the trial asks of us: will we continue loving, trusting, and obeying HaShem when the road becomes difficult?
The spiritual life is learned through these struggles. We learn patience by having to be patient. We learn humility when our pride is wounded. We learn forgiveness when someone actually hurts us. We learn purity when desire pulls us in another direction. We learn trust when we cannot see how everything will work out.
Sometimes the battle exposes anger, jealousy, pride, lust, resentment, fear, or discouragement within us. These struggles can be painful. HaShem remains with us in the battle. He gives us grace. He strengthens us, teaches us, and gives us repeated opportunities to learn faithfulness.
Little by little, one struggle after another, we gain spiritual experience. We learn where we are weak. We learn where we tend to retreat. We learn to pray sooner. We learn to resist thoughts before they grow stronger. We learn to depend upon HaShem instead of trusting our own strength.
This is how trials can become part of our spiritual education.
Shimon Kefa therefore tells us:
“Prepare your minds for action and be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua. As obedient children… as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
— 1 Peter 1:13–15
Perhaps you are facing a temptation that continues to return, and you are tired of fighting the same battle. Perhaps you are trying to remain faithful when you cannot yet see where the road is leading. Perhaps you have been asking HaShem for an answer and there is still no answer. Maybe someone has hurt you, and you know you need to forgive them, though the hurt is still very real. Maybe you are simply tired, and something you know is good and right has become harder to keep doing.
Perhaps you have begun to wonder why following HaShem has not made life easier.
Remember Avraham. He obeyed HaShem, entered the land of promise, and encountered famine.
Remember Shimon Kefa. He sincerely loved our Master and still discovered weakness within himself when the hour of testing came.
Do not be surprised by the struggle.
Bring it before HaShem. Ask Him to teach you through it. Ask Him for the grace to remain faithful today. And if you stumble, turn back to Him. Our Master told Peter, “when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
We are learning to walk with HaShem through every trial, one step at a time.
Father in heaven, strengthen us in the trials we face. Teach us to trust You when the road becomes difficult and to remain faithful when obedience costs us something. Show us where we are weak, give us grace to rise when we fall, and form in us a steadfast faith and a sincere love for You. Keep our hope fixed upon our Master Yeshua and lead us faithfully on the path to Your kingdom. Amen.
