Successfuly Navigating Trials
Last week we discussed the aspect of counting it joy when we are faced with trial. We know that we do not have an impartial God, He is actively with us and helping us in our trials. This week, as we continue to look at James 1:2-8, I want to discuss that if we are to successfully go through a trial, we need to know that our faith will be tested. “3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:3 We can face a trial with joy because we know that a trial gives us the opportunity to become more Christ-like. Trials also separate the born-again believer from those who profess to be followers of Christ, we will discuss this distinction later. One thing that needs to be understood is that trials work for the believer, not against them, this can be seen in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “17 For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,”
But how can a trial be for our good? When we envision a trial, we see something that is difficult for us or something that is an annoyance. The second half of verse three shows that through trials we receive endurance. This is echoed in Romans 5:3-4, “3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” We receive endurance when we remain steady in trials by leaning on God. Our trials produce a greater testimony for God’s grace and mercy. It is why reading the stories of those who faced and overcame trials in the Bible is so encouraging. We see how God worked through them and our faith grows. “4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
The third aspect of going through a trial with joy is to “4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:4 We know that God does not put us through anything without a reason, we may not always know the why of the specific trial we are or have gone through, but we can be assured that God has meant it to give us endurance and a greater testimony. It is why we need to allow God to work through us when we are going through a trial. Imagine it this way, you have just received some bad news perhaps a sickness or a loss of job. For someone who is enduring this trial with joy they are keeping their focus on Christ, they are not sitting in a corner doing nothing. The outside world will see this individual and see how their behavior is pointing back to Christ.
The final aspect of having joy in a trial is to ask. “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8.
This passage can be broken into three segments. The first is to ask in wisdom. Wisdom is the practical application of the knowledge that we have. One of the many characteristics of God is that He loves to grant wisdom to those who will ask and in verse five we see the word “generously”. This word means that God will give freely without any ulterior motive simply because it is in His nature to give. God loves to give good things to those who follow Him, “7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11.
Wisdom also allows us to understand how to use our trials and circumstances for God’s glory, a topic that will be discussed in a later post. When we are faced with trials we need to ask for wisdom so that we do not waste the opportunities that God is giving us to mature or to be a witness to others. I highly encourage you to read a chapter of Proverbs a day if you not already, it is a great book that is filled with much wisdom and it conveniently has a chapter for each day of the month.
The next way that we can ask is to ask in faith. The rest of the passage describes a double-minded person, this is a person who follows the Lord when it is easy but still desires the things of this world. They are not leaning on the Lord for every situation, good or bad and instead are relying on the world to fix their problems. We have already seen the consequences of doubt when we discussed Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33, but the Bible has other examples of what it means to be a double-minded person. Ephesians 4:14 calls us to no longer be children who follow any idea that seems biblical, “14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”. We need to remember that we have a God who is bigger than what we are facing and there is no problem to big or small for Him, it is why John 14:13-14 states, “13 And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
Finally, I want to leave you with a reminder. We will face trials, there is no getting around that, but our reaction will determine the outcome. We can be like the double-minded man and fail, or we can lean on God and go through our trial with the joy of knowing that He is working through us and producing endurance for the faith. However, if we fail to lean on the Lord and instead whine about our trial that we are facing, we will often end up repeating it. We are called to do all things without whining, “14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,” Philippians 2:14 In our current world, we need more people who respond to trials with joy and leaning on the Lord.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex