Sometimes sorrows are sent to us for the purpose of testing our faith
and loyalty to God, and for strengthening us in this faith and loyalty.
Many people, when living peacefully, think that they love God with all
their hearts. Apostle Peter declared that he would never renounce his
Lord; the other disciples wanted to follow Him unto death. But when the
time of tribulation came - Peter renounced his Lord and Master; the
disciples dispersed. And it was at this point that they realized,
despite their heart- felt grief, that they had not yet reached the state
in which they would find themselves later on, when they joyously
suffered martyrdom and disgrace for Christ.
Without testing even iron looks like steel, pewter looks
like silver, bronze looks like gold and plain glass looks like crystal,
but tempering shows their true worth. The same happens with people: many
appear to be meek and humble, simple and good, religious, etc., while
tribulations often reveal them to be malicious, and proud, and
cruel-hearted, and greedy, and envious, etc. Tribulations come in the
form of loss and deprivation, grief, illness, disgrace, and those who
endure the trials are found to be dependable candidates for the Kingdom
of God, while those who are unable to endure are not dependable, because
they still contain a large admixture of evil. Through suffering and woe
in their lives, virtuous people become even more fortified in their
virtue.