Trials
James, a servant of God and of the
Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the
Dispersion: Greetings.
My brothers and sisters, whenever you
face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the
testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full
effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you is lacking in wisdom,
ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given
you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of
the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded
and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
For those of us who get mad at God
when life takes a wrong turn, we need a good dose of biblical-therapy. Think
about two things in steps. First – Think straight
about trouble. It is not only inevitable, it is also indiscriminate. Trouble
will come in all shapes and sizes. Once we understand the facts, we can begin
approaching their significant value in our lives. Second – Trade resistance and
resentment for receptivity and rejoicing. The joy is not the presence of pain
but in the knowledge that God is using our pain to refine us and make us
better, not bitter.
God chooses
what we go through;
we choose how we
go through it.