Fear God in time of trials
1 ① My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. 2Keep your heart upright and remain resolute; do not be upset in the time of adversity.
3Hold fast to the Lord, do not separate yourself from him so that you may be successful to the end of your days. 4Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled, 5for as gold is tested in the fire, so those acceptable to God are tested in the crucible of humiliation. 6Have confidence in him and he will take care of you; follow the right path and hope in him.
7You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy and do not turn away lest you fall. 8You who fear the Lord, trust him and you will not lose your reward. 9You who fear the Lord, hope for all good things; hope for eternal joy and mercy.
10Remember what happened to your ancestors. Who has ever trusted in the Lord and been confounded? Who has persevered in fear of the Lord and been abandoned? Who has called upon him and not been heard?
11For the Lord is compassion and loving-kindness; he forgives our sins and saves us in time of distress.
12Woe to faint hearts and weak hands, to the sinner who wavers between two paths.
13Woe to the fainthearted who lack confidence, because of this they will not be protected. 14Woe to you who have lost patience! What will you do when the Lord calls you to account?
15Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his commandments; those who love him faithfully keep his laws.
16Those who fear the Lord seek to please him; those who love him are filled with his law.
17Those who fear the Lord keep their hearts ready and humble themselves in his presence saying, 18“Let us fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of mortals, for great as his power is his mercy.”
- Sir 2,1 Those who want to serve God must be ready to face trials and contradictions. Authentic trust in God is demonstrated when things do not turn out well. Along with faith and perseverance, trust is the basic quality of the believer.
