(Part 2)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
Most of us, when we find ourselves in a trial immediately respond with weeping, prayer and fasting. James, however, encourages us to rejoice and count it all joy. His instruction is not to begin looking for a way out, but rather to begin by asking God for wisdom:
“If any on you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
James 1:5-8
When we seek God for wisdom in the midst of our difficulty we are asking God for the capacity to see and the ability to respond to the situation according to His Will and His Word. Too often, we forego God’s wisdom for our own, believing that our wealth, position, education or resource will give us some kind of advantage in managing our trials. James says:
“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.”
James 1:9-11
Trials are an equal opportunity offender. They are a leveling agent impacting the just and unjust alike. In the Old Testament there was a man by the name of Job. Job was richest man in the world in the day that he lived, but no amount of wealth, health or position could prepare him or save him from the trials he experienced. He lost all his herds, his children were killed, one of his homes destroyed, his wife turned on him, his health went south, and his friends were adamant that he was sinning and bringing this all on himself! However, Job did not waiver, but trusted God throughout the entire ordeal and God restored to him all that the enemy had stolen. Job demonstrated perseverance and withstood the test and because of that God blessed him. James wrote in James 1:12:
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
This is a promise from God! Nonetheless, you can also depend on the fact that Satan is going to try and thwart God’s plan for your life. The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica:
“For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.”
1 Thessalonians 3:5
Paul recognized that the potential of “trials to bring us to greater spiritual maturity could be undermined by the deceitfulness of temptation!
Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/
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