Faith

Aug. 23
James 1:2-4

You ever run across some verses and think to yourself, "How is that possible?"  "Consider it pure joy when faced with a trial" can leave a person wondering what that really means. I think if we are honest, we really don't want to face trials in our life. I wouldn't say we consider them joyful or fun.  Some would say that is how you get faith - through trials.  I think we have to be careful with that line of thinking. Faith is tested by trials.  If trials don't produce faith, then what does? 

Well we can look in Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  So trials don't produce faith.  Trials, when received with faith, produce patience.  James is pointing to the end of the trial.  When we come face to face with something difficult in our lives, we often can't see around the corner or past it.  We let it consume us.  We let it affect our faith and our ways of thinking.  It can take our focus off what is really important. 

The joy in trials comes in the end. Like in a movie when the hero saves the day or the good overcomes evil.  We must lay hold of this truth that a loving Father allows (sometimes sends) trials in our lives, not to impair us but to improve us. Not to destroy us, but to develop us. In other words, our Father wants to develop our character, not destroy it.  This can only happen if we have faith.  We can't wait for the trial and try to believe.  We must be rooted in faith so that when trials come, we can hold on to that faith and persevere - while focusing on Christ. 

Remember the story about when Jesus walked on water?  Leading up to that, the disciples had gone out and were caught in a trial/storm.  The problem that night wasn't the storm.  It was the faith inside of them.  Even after Jesus told Peter to step out on the water, he lost focus and started sinking.  We must strive to focus on Christ and have faith that He will overcome any trial we face. Christ won victory over all our trials when He went to the cross.