Clever Words: A Lenten Devotional

A Clever Word for the Season of Lent
Πειρασμός
(peirasmos) trial, test
A Clever Verse for Context
No testing (peirasmos) has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing (peirasmos) he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Spiritual
Tragedy of all sorts can teach us a lot: about ourselves, about our loved ones about our own resiliency.  I have experienced and accompanied others through enough tragedy that I cannot and will not simply say God sends calamity our way to test our faith.  God is, afterall, God and knows perfectly well the substance of our faith all ready.  We live in a broken creation where bad things will happen to good, bad, and faithful alike.  The grace of any trials that come our way is not in the experience itself, but in what happens after, the results, if you will.  The way we encounter unexpected grace in the compassion, care, and food that tends to show up in the wake of tragedy.  The way we find ourselves whispering prayer even when we’re furious with God, humanity, and the universe in general.  God does not test us, God stays with us, surrounds us, and sustains us, even the midst of trial.          

Literary
While πειρασμός (peirasmos) is found only in New Testament Greek it is related to the word πεῖρα (peira).  Both words can mean a trial or test, but peira can also mean an attempt or experiment.  

A Clever Prayer to Close
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain[a] in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
   my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
   because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13