Trials are not the displeasure of God upon a life but for the spiritual development of God’s people!
Count it all joy my brothers WHEN you encounter various trials KNOWING that the testing {genuineness] of your faith produces ENDURANCE and LET Endurance have its MATURING WORK… – James 1:2-4
We don’t rejoice in the painful or difficulty of a trial but in what God Will produce from it as we CHOOSE to Rejoice based on the future HOPE that He is INTIMATELY INVOLVED OUT TO PRODUCE Spiritual Stamina- Endurance- the ability to keep doing right under pressure. We rejoice He is bringing about Spiritual maturity in these trials as we obey His – 4 COMMANDS FOR EVERY TRAIL AS revealed in James 1:2-4, 12
WE…
1. COUNT IT ALL JOY… REJOICE… It is a command in the original and is to be IMMEDIATE. Literally it can read, “Immediately commence rejoicing.” It is an accountant term. It is one for the asset column, a PLUS…We rejoice, delight in the future HOPE of what God is undertaking to do in our trials, to develop us spiritually.
God is not out to destroy us but to develop us and display Himself to us and through us.
Trials, as difficult and painful as they are for us… we can choose to rejoice because of what we know! We REJOICE Because of the second command which is….
2. KNOWING… You KNOW what God is doing! It has to do with an “understanding mind.” You are not ignorant HE tells you he is producing perseverance, endurance so that you become Spiritually mature. We Rejoice in Future HOPE. we rejoice in Knowing what He is out to produce in us and also…
3. LET… is the third command- It has to do with a submissive will. Submit yourself to God in your trial. How? Rejoice- Delight in future Hope- God is working- You KNOW this and He IS producing PERSEVERANCE and Spiritual Maturity as you choose to OBEY Him. We can count it all joy as we submit to Him who loves us in the difficult trials based on who He is and what He says we are to do in our trials….
4. ASK… This is the 4th command in the passage. He tells us even what we should “ask” for, namely, “wisdom” seeing things, life from God’s view! Practical understanding of the issues we face in life. The ability to take His Word and apply it to the circumstance and all who “ask ” in faith will receive wisdom. Ask Him in faith and He will gladly impart wisdom to us. What we need most in a trial He tells us is wisdom! Trials are one gigantic opportunity to make us “wise!”
WASTING YOUR TRIALS?
What a waste of a trial when we CHOOSE not to follow God’s OPEN BOOK Test. He gives the test and Shows us the Answers and gives us the ability by faith to CHOOSE to follow in Obedience. it’s an OPEN BOOK TEST!
Familiarize yourselves with the 4 COMMANDS for your own benefit, so when trials come you can talk and THINK yourself through them and also to be able to HELP others to THINK Their way through God’s OPEN BOOK RESPONSE to the test.
TRIALS DO NOT MATURE US! RESPONDING IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD DOES!
THE MOTIVATION FOR OBEDIENCE IN YOUR TRIALS? But my favorite truth is found in James 1:12 having to do with trials. Have you ever wanted to show your love, appreciation to the LORD for who He is and has been to you? V 12 says, “BLESSED is the man who once he has persevered will receive the crown of life that is Given to those who LOVE HIM!”-
TRIALS ARE GIGANTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW LOVE TO JESUS CHRIST!
Why rejoice? Why Know? Why Let? Why ask for wisdom?
Because GOD TELLS me and you to and as we do, by faith, following Him in obedience and not leaning to our own understanding… we get to SHOW Him- “I Love you…”
GOT TRIALS? YOU GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO… LOVE HIM.