(Part 1)
“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
This passage has the potential to be a stumbling block to many believers. Most people do not associate the idea of joy with facing many kinds of trials. We rarely look at trials as something to be embraced. Most often we are trying to avoid them at all cost. However, these pressures of life play a tremendous role in our growth and spiritual maturity.
James describes trials in this verse as “testings of our faith.” They are circumstances, difficulties or pressures of life that God uses to test the sincerity or genuineness of our faith. It is through these tests that we develop perseverance. Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failures or opposition. Without trials no one can mature in their faith completely.
Trials become the pathway to developing, not only perseverance, but also character and hope:
“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance; character, and character; hope.”
Romans 5:3-4
Trials are like a refiner’s fire which draws out the dross to reveal the genuine and authentic life that lies within:
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proven genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:6-7
This passage is so important to understand, because the Glory of Christ is not revealed in the outcome of a trial, it is revealed in the “genuineness” of our faith in the midst of it. Sometimes what we walk through doesn’t turn out the way we hoped. In those situations, it would be easy to say that we failed the test in some manner. However, the way we carry ourselves through the trial reveals far more than the outcome:
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:12-13
Our first inclination when we are faced with these “trials” is to pray for deliverance! We want out of this mess as quickly as we found ourselves in it, but in doing so we may be short-changing the process God has set in motion to bring us to greater maturity.
Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/
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