Those who are taking the path to Allah The Almighty and those in general who are living this life are susceptible to circumstances; life becomes similar to waves, one following the other, and a person rides upon these waves; these circumstances are trials and examinations to elicit the true state of the heart's belief.
Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Similar situations [as yours] have passed on before you, so proceed throughout the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied. This [Quran] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah. So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. If a wound should touch you – there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs – and Allah does not like the wrongdoers - and that Allah may purify the believers [through trials] and destroy the disbelievers. Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are steadfast?} [Quran 3:137-142]
These verses indicate that Allah The Exalted alternates days of varying conditions among people to make evident their situation, and so that Allah The Exalted makes it apparent and evident before His slaves through demonstration who amongst them deserves Paradise and who does not.
Those that are taking the path of Allah The Almighty are the select, though at the same time: {Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allah reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allah and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear him, then for you is a great reward.} [Quran 3:179]
My distinguishing sister: To be able to distinguish between a blessing, a misfortune and a test, and between a favor and a decisive piece of evidence that informs beyond excuse of ignorance, and between a gift and an affliction, and between a reward and a trial, is very important to the person who is taking the path to Allah The Almighty.
If taking the path to reach the satisfaction of Allah, you must be able to distinguish between what is a blessing and what is a trial. It can happen that two people are given the same thing, and for one this thing becomes a blessing, and for the other it might turn out to be a trial. The same thing can be an affliction for one person and a gift for the other!
Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning.} [Quran 2:19] This rain from the sky that Allah The Exalted revives the earth with is at the same time accompanied by darkness, thunder and lightening: {They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death.} [Quran 2:19]
Scholars have said that, "This is the water-based image Allah The Exalted has portrayed of the Quran, that the Quran is like rain for the believers; Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the Believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.} [Quran 17:82]”
In the story of Ka‘b ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, he received a letter from the King of Ghassaan, saying, "We have been notified that your friend (i.e. the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has abandoned you; Allah will not situate you in a place of degradation. Join us and we will comfort you." Upon reading the letter, Ka‘b did not say, “Help has arrived!” rather he made the distinction between a gift and a trial. Ka‘b said about this, "This is another trial,” and “Therefore, I headed to the furnace and burnt the letter."
Indeed, a person may be given wealth and he may think it is a blessing, and this money turns out for him to be a source of trial. A person may be given a job, and this job is seen by everyone to be a generous bestowment, while it is, in fact, an affliction for him. A person may memorize the Noble Quran and in the Hereafter it will become an argument against him. Yes, indeed, the Noble Quran is either a proof for a person or an argument against him.
The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "If you should see that Allah The Exalted gives a servant worldly possessions and he is insistent upon continuing in his sins, then know that he is being lead in a progressive manner by Allah The Exalted, to continue [in sin and to be increased in punishment at the time it is due]." [Ahmad. Al-Albaani: Saheeh]
Sister, you sin, and yet Allah The Exalted is generous to you. You sin and Allah The Exalted gives you more, and you sin and He blesses what you have, but later Allah shall take revenge from you!
Do not feel at ease, for Allah The Exalted is leading you to your due punishment. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know. And I will give them time. Indeed, my plan is firm.} [Quran 68:44-45]
Scholars said about these two verses,
The disbelievers and all people of the earth are far too insignificant for Allah The Exalted to scheme these schemes for them, but He cautions them from Himself so that they may rescue themselves before it is too late. Also, (he warms them) for them to know that the apparent safety that is given to them is the trap that they conceitedly fall into. He warns them that the time that they are given, which they spend indulging in injustice, aggression, disbelief, and falsehood, is gradually leading them to a horrifying terrifying destiny. This is the scheme from Allah The Almighty for them to bear their own burdens in full, and for them to arrive in the Hereafter overloaded with sin, worthy of disgrace, burden, and torture.
Through cautioning and disclosing His scheme of gradually leading to further indulgence in sins and plotting justly and with mercy, Allah The Exalted establishes to His enemies and the enemies of His Religion and His Messenger His justice and mercy in this warning, and they are left after that to make the decision for themselves, for all the facts have been unmasked and clarified for them.
Allah The Exalted gives respite, but never ignores what is done. He prolongs time given to persistent wrongdoers, then, when He takes this person in punishment, there is no way for him to escape. Allah The Almighty here discloses His method and the ways that He has assigned with His will. Allah The Exalted says to His Messenger (what means): {So leave Me [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Quran.} [Quran 68:44]
Leave me with the matter of those who are arrogant with their wealth, offspring, high rank, and power, for I shall gradually lead them towards their destruction and make their worldly possessions a trap for them! This is an assurance for His Messenger, and a warning for His enemies, and then He Leaves them with that frightful warning.
Therefore, my sister in Islam, do not delight at the generosity of Allah if it comes after sin, and distinguish between what is a gift and what is an affliction, and between what is a blessing and what is an adversity, for Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {In order that you do not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you.} [Quran 57:23]
The wife of Sa‘eed ibn ‘Aamir Al-Jumahi, may Allah be pleased with him, was reported to have said, "I was awakened one day by my husband's voice, as he was saying, 'I seek refuge in Allah from you, I seek refuge in Allah from you, I seek refuge in Allah from you.' So I got up. I found before him a bundle of money and he was pushing it away from him as though it were a scorpion. I asked him, 'What is wrong?' He replied, 'Earthly possessions have come to me, trying to corrupt my religion.'"
Take care my sister, you must have insight and the ability to distinguish between what is of benefit to you and what can harm you in the Hereafter. When Allah The Almighty grants you a blessing and you use it according to His commands, then it is a blessing for sure. Should this blessing be used in sin, then it becomes an affliction and a tribulation.
Allah The Almighty gives you money or gives you beauty, but has it helped you to draw nearer to Allah The Almighty, or has it pushed you farther astray from Him?
Allah The Almighty gave you a husband and children and they became an aid to you in obeying His commands, so this husband is a blessing, and your offspring are a gift. Should they preoccupy you from the obligations assigned by Allah, then they are a tribulation.
Consider every moment of your life and look at the blessings that were granted to you: do they bring you nearer or farther from Allah The Almighty? Are they blessings or adversities? Will they aid you when you stand before Allah The Exalted, or preoccupy you from what satisfies Him? Do they increase your faith or do they harden your heart? Do they increase you in gratitude or do they increase you in greed?
Stop and think of the blessings of Allah The Almighty to know where you stand exactly.
Are you on the path to gaining the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty, or have you become lost, taking other paths?
Distinguish between a blessing and an adversity; distinguish between a trial and a gift; distinguish between an affliction and a reward; distinguish between what would become an argument against you in the Hereafter and what is a favor.
Distinguish so as to know where the temptation is, so that you may avoid it, and where the blessing is, so that you may be grateful for it. In this way, you may take the way to Allah The Almighty safely and attain His satisfaction.