God permits certain difficulties in our lives in order to reveal traits that we or others may not know exist. When those traits are negative, we are essentially faced with two choices: acknowledge them and seek God’s deliverance or indulge them and suffer loss.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

—1 Corinthians 3:12–15