Whenever we face tough, difficult trials and suffering because of all the temptations the world gives and from our destructive sinful nature, we tend to think that these hard times aren't good things but serve as some sort of punishment or curse to torment us. Well, James begs to differs. He starts off his letter with telling his fellow brothers and sisters that it is "pure joy to face trials of many kinds." However, anybody who has gone through any form of pain or difficulty would think that James was off his rocker because who in their right mind would enjoy pain, sadness, and sorrow. But then James points out that through the trials we face, it produces perseverance, which will help guide us to become more mature and grow in our faith. In twisted way, James has a very good point because how else are we going to grow more and stand firm in our faith against this trying world. Through trails and temptations, we are tested to our limits, and most of the time we break and fall, but God uses our failures and mistakes so that we can learn, cope, and change to become stronger in our determination to finish the race strong. It's like a blessing in disguise.
I guess James is trying to drill in our minds that we can't give up hope during our road to sanctification because if we do give up and doubt in God's goodness and will that He'll pull through for us in the end, then there would be no power behind our words and testimonies for the Gospel. That's why James is encouraging and reminding us that we don't draw strength and perseverance from the confidence and trust coming from our own abilities, but it all comes from God. He is our Rock and our source of strength that builds our endurance and makes us strive to take another step when we really want to collapse and throw in the towel.
The humble living part is almost as if James is telling us that our lives would be so much easier if we live within our means of what we need to survive and not out of a lap of luxury and comfort because as we all know the more one has, the greedier one's heart becomes for more. All that stuff becomes a distraction or a temptation that will lead to more trials, thus leading to more suffering. It's a vicious cycle. We don't need all that useless junk in our lives because it's fleeting and temporary.
So the main point is we shouldn't look at trials and temptations as something that will bring us down, but they are tools God uses to build us up. They truly are blessings in disguises.
Like I said before, it is very heavy stuff...Have a happy Veteran's Day!
2 comments:
Thank you, Michelle for the wonderful reflection. More we read the Word of God, more we know how precious and true it is. I like the title, "Blessings in Disguises" because like you said no one wants trials and hardships. We want to be happy and content all the time. But James declared that through trails we grow in our faith. Ironically my devotion this morning was about taking a bitter drink from God without a hesitation. In other words if God made your cup sweet, drink it with grace, if He made it bitter, drink it in communion with God. By going through trial we learn to know Him better. Oswald Chambers said," God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one."
thanks michelle for an honest and insightful reflection. this passage really separates the men from the boys. false believers give up on their faith when they go through suffering, convinced that christianity "doesn't work". but we are to consider it PURE JOY when we face trials of every kind! our faith is incomplete and immature without the refining fire of suffering. when we face hardship, it is not because God's Face is against us. His divine purpose is not only to save us but to make us into the likeness of Christ Jesus. to truly know God's heart and to enter into intimate fellowship with Him, hardship and trial are absolutely necessary.
when we truly thank God from our hearts for EVERYTHING in our lives, even the trials and sufferings we face, we will regard our pain in a completely new light.
james also reminds us that if we lack wisdom about these things, God will "give generously to all [who ask] without finding fault". if you lack understanding, ask God in faith, AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU. He understands the weakness of His children and will provide everything we need to get through the desert.
Post a Comment