Facing Trials

James 1:2-4 Life is made up of a vast variety of different kinds of situations and conditions. Some are from our own making, some are from the enemy, some are from God, and some just are. A wind-fall of money can be a blessing to one who is strapped by debt, but it can be a curse to an addict whose trigger is money. In times past, I have dreaded fall because it meant that cold winter snows would soon come, and the trees would all be bare of leaves. I missed the beauty of the fall colors and the beauty of freshly fallen snow because I only looked at the difficult and negative side of those times. God promises us in Romans 8:28 “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" If we can look at the situations of life as opportunities to experience God in all His fulness, things will be seen in a whole new light. It doesn’t mean there won’t be pain or times of deep sorrow, but it does mean that in all situations God in His love for us will be there. Our faith, our strength, and our character can grow as we pass through life and its struggles. We can indeed consider it pure joy. What most of us need is an attitude adjustment. Pray that you will begin to see things through His eyes. In verse 3 the phrase “testing of our faith" might better be translated “pure faith” or “tested faith”. The idea being that through the trials, good and bad, the faith of theory grows into the faith of practice, It moves from “I think so or I hope so.” to “I know so!” We learn that we, “...can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” (Phil. 4:13) Our perseverance, our holding on power, is developed. And that perseverance moves us to maturity and equips us with what we need to accomplish the things that God longs to do in and through us.