How to Distinguish 3 TYPES OF TRIALS — SITs, MITs and DITs

When you experience an unexpected trial of some sort, the first thing you need to do is determine if the assault is a Self-Inflicted Trial (SIT), a Discipline-Intended Trial (DIT) or a Maturity-Intended Trial (MIT). Here’s an explanation of each:

SITs are obvious: they’re the result of one’s own folly, like being injured due to reckless driving and the resulting wreck or suffering physically due to a junk food diet. In both cases the person’s travails are not due to some satanic plot, but simply his/her foolish choices. The answer to SITs is learning wisdom.
A DIT means the trial is hitting you due to disobedience, whether a sin of commission or a sin of omission. If this is the case, immediately ’fess up and God will dismiss the charge (1 John 1:8-9); then take up your weapons and fight the good fight of faith until the curse departs (1 Timothy 6:12).
An MIT means that the trial is occurring for righteousness’ sake and the LORD is allowing the enemy to assault you in order to test your character and, once your character is proven, turn the negative situation around to your good (Romans 8:28). That’s the genius of MITs: God takes something in which the enemy intends to destroy you with—or, at least, hinder you—and ultimately turns it around to your good, making you “strong, firm and steadfast” “after you have suffered for a little while” (1 Peter 5:8-10). Of course, this is providing you fulfill your role by fighting the good fight of faith and enduring. (Remember: the LORD is your “helper,” not your do-everything-for-you-so-you-don’t-have-to-do-anything-at-all-er). This is precisely what happened with Joseph (Genesis 50:20).

The reason this data is essential is so that you know with certainty when you’re under satanic attack. After all, what good is the armor & arms of God if you can’t even recognize when you’re being assaulted?

This material is also essential so you don’t mistake a satanic attack for “God’s will.” For instance, a genuine Christian woman was diagnosed with life-threatening cancer and concluded that, whether she lived or died from the cancer, it was God’s will. No, it’s Satan’s will to take out fruit-bearing believers prematurely.

The obvious problem with this woman’s type of fatalistic reasoning is that, if you think something’s God’s will, you won’t fight it. You’ll accept it and suffer the consequences. But if you recognize something as a satanic attack you’ll fight it tenaciously.

Needless to say, don’t accept any curse of the Law on the mistaken grounds that it’s “God’s will”! If a curse shows up in your life due to your own folly or rebellion, you’re evidently undergoing an SIT or DIT; simply repent and proceed to fight the good fight of faith. The curse will flee from you and you’ll be restored as you persevere in faith. Here are two real-life examples:

Several years ago I got back from a 5-day vacation in the Breckenridge, Colorado, area and it was just awesome, and inexpensive to boot. Unfortunately, when I got home I copped a grumbling attitude due to some minor grievances. Instead of overflowing with thankfulness for my wonderful God-given vacation I allowed some small mishaps to damper my attitude to the point of being childish. Sickness immediately came upon me and I fought it in faith but it wasn’t working. Then I knew – God was rebuking me for my negative, complaining spirit. Once I realized this, I humbly repented and resisted in faith. I was then delivered from the illness.
Something similar happened to my wife around the same time. Carol’s a healing warrior and the epitome of health, but she came down with a sickness that was spreading around the office. Yet, when she tried to fight it off with faith it wasn’t happening. She then knew by the Spirit that it was a DIT. She had been holding a minor grudge against a subordinate at work because she caught him speaking negatively about her behind her back. She confronted him and he apologized, but she maintained an attitude against him. In other words, she didn’t truly forgive him despite his apology, which is a no-no as explained here. Once she got the matter straightened out with the Lord, she resisted her sickness in faith and it left her. This disciplinary trial lasted 24-hours in total.

If, however, you’re walking blamelessly before the LORD, keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8 & Luke 3:8), you’re obviously undergoing a Maturity-Intended Trial (MIT). Don’t embrace the curse as “God’s will.” Tenaciously fight the good fight of faith and don’t give up. The curse will eventually depart and the LORD will turn around the negative situation for your good. Job’s trial is a good example in the Bible, although that’s of course an extreme example (here are the four main relevant chapters for those not familiar with the book of Job: Job 1-3 & Job 42).

Now, someone might point out that Discipline-Intended Trials (DITs) complicate the issue because they require the believer to determine if the malady in question is an attack from the kingdom of darkness for righteousness’ sake or a disciplinary measure on God’s part due to unrepentant disobedience. Well, that’s just the way it is. Besides, this very factor calls for an actual relationship with the LORD, which is what true Christianity is all about and separates it from mere human religion.

What do I mean? If a believer has a genuine relationship with God s/he will be able to fairly easily discern if the trial in question is the result of a MIT or a DIT, as Carol and I did in the two examples above. On the other hand, believers who fail to cultivate such a relationship will have a harder time distinguishing MITs from DITs. So, in reality, this is a great spur to go deeper in God.

For important scriptural details, see this article.

Spiritual Development — The Four Stages

Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain

Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled

Spiritual Warfare — The Basics

Healing — How Do I Receive?

Should I Get the Surgery or BELIEVE for Healing?