Embracing Trials

This morning I felt like reading from the letter of James.  I am always challenged when reading His letter for he is very practical and has a very specific perspective.  I am thinking about the following verses - James 1:2-8 NIV:

[2] "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. [6] But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. [7] That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. [8] Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

First, his opening sentence is one that I just don't like to read.  I would like to be instantly mature and complete, and not go through any process of growing, for that is really what James is talking about.  The testing and perseverance produce maturity and completeness and that is what happens when we grow, in the natural.  The same process is used by the Lord to grow us, and while we generally think of trials as bad, I think we could easily replace trials with experiences and have exactly the same meaning.   We can be tested by good things as well as by bad, especially as it relates to our faith and relationship with the Lord.

There is plenty of teaching out there that associates good things with God's approval, and bad things with God's punishment, but here James take a different approach.  He says we should embrace trials of many kinds because they bring about our maturation, which is good.   The point is that God uses many things to enable us to grow.  Ultimately what He wants is for us to gain His perspective, see our lives from His eyes.  That is the wisdom that James is speaking about, the understanding of God's thoughts.  He encourages us to ask, and says God will give wisdom to us generously.  When we face a trial, rather than asking "why me?" maybe we should be asking "what are You wanting me to grow in?"  It seems to me that this means trials are actually opportunities, which is a completely different mind-set than I usually have concerning trials.

Finally, the final three verse have to do with our belief God.  He speaks of people being double-minded and unstable.  It seems to me the area of doubt and questioning is related to what we think God is like.  A. W. Tozer says that the most important thing is how we think about God.  Our image of Him and thoughts about God color our whole outlook and perspective.  If we think God is someone who punishes us for bad behaviour, than anything that we don't enjoy in our life causes us to think that God is not pleased with us.  However the author of the Letter to the Hebrews had a completely different take on difficulties.  Here are two verses taken from section on discipline - Hebrews 12:7-8 NIV:

[7] "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? [8] If you are not disciplined---and everyone undergoes discipline---then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all."

Here we see that difficulties and hardship might actually be because the Father considers us his true sons and daughters.  Rather than Him being angry, its the exact opposite.  He sees us as His beloved children and is giving us opportunity to grow and mature.  He does this because He knows that we are capable of great things and wants us to have the character and strength of relationship to walk into great things and not lose our way.  In fact the author of Hebrews continues on with the following statement - "...God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness." (Heb12:10b)  He has great plans for us!

So let us not doubt God's love.  Let us hold firmly to Him, trusting that all things are for our good and growth.  God is good always, and He has good plans for each of us.  He is not angry and does not punish us, for all punishment for our sin was already borne by Jesus.  God desires us to grow and mature, learning to think like Him.  He wants us to embrace life in all its fullness, recognizing that we are His beloved sons and daughters.  Let us not be tossed about by fears and doubts, but let us believe our Father loves us.

Amen!