Trials and troubles vary in intensity, pain, trouble and no one is immune from them! Have you ever desired to show your love and appreciation to Him, not for acceptance but out of appreciation for who He is and what He has done for you? James 1:12,says. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial,” and He gives the crown of life to those who “love Him.” Have you ever viewed your trials, as painful as they are, as an opportunity for you to LOVE GOD? James 1:12 teaches us to those who persevere in doing trials, responding His way that they are doing just that!
We “persevere” as we choose by faith to do the four commands listed and in doing so we express love to Him and amazingly will receive from Him the “crown of life.” We often dread trials, they come in all shapes and seizes, but they are opportunities to exercise and develop our faith and express love to Him!Trials are gigantic opportunities to express love to Him as we choose to follow His four commands for each and every trial you will ever encounter! Trials DO NOT Mature us, but DOING trials, God’s Way DOES!
THE FOUR COMMANDS FOR EVERY TRIAL YOU WILL EVER FACE are…
1. – IMMEDIATELY COMMENCE REJOICING. “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, – v2.* The command is to immediately commence rejoicing. The immediate response to every trial is to choose to delight, be glad rejoice when you encounter, “fall into” the word means “suddenly, unexpectedly”and was used of the man whom the good Samaritan found, who had been suddenly unexpectedly been jumped upon and beaten up and robbed. Trials can be like that. they come out of nowhere it seems, and yet the command for the believer is IMMEDIATELY COMMENCE REJOICING! Sounds crazy and is if it were not for what we are told with the reasons being the next THREE COMMANDS tell you why you can!!!
2. -KNOWING- ” KNOWING that the testing of your faith produces endurance.- v3. “KNOWING”- Has to do with an “UNDERSTANDING MIND.” You understand God is out to produce in you spiritual stamina and mature you in your thinking, doing, making you more Christ like.
3. -“LET” – “And LET endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – v 4. “LET” has to do with a “SUBMISSIVE WILL.” Submitting your will to choose to “REJOICE” Because you “KNOW” it is God’s way and it is producing in you A. -“perseverance” and -B. -spiritual maturity and an opportunity to C. -express LOVE to God when you choose to respond so.
4.-ASK – ” But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ASK of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. -v 5 . “ASK” is a command. ASK GOD for wisdom. How to know and apply His Word to the situation. NOTE; We are to “ASK GOD” so often in our trials and troubles we are asking “why me ?’ when we should “ASK GOD for …wisdom” knowing He will not berate or deny you when you ask believing you will receive from Him who LOVES to give generously and never berating or reproaching you.
God is not out to destroy you but to develop you, and display Himself to and through you in your trials!
Your trials do not mature you. Obeying by faith these 4 commands does and also expresses LOVE TO HIM amidst trials!