Monthly Women's Devotional
“Facing Trials” from the book of James
As I began my quiet time this morning, I was drawn to the book of James. Keep in mind this book is quite “prickly” and convicting, to say the least; but I decided to dive in anyway to see what God had to say to me through His Word.
James Chapter 1 verses 2-4 calls us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I knew right then and there I should have moved on to an “easier” passage to hear God speak to me (ha!). Instead, I prayed and asked God to reveal to me what I needed to hear.
In context, James was giving strong counsel to persecuted Jewish believers scattered among pagan communities. He urged them to face their trials with joy rather than seeing them as punishment or a curse. With that in mind, I asked myself: Do the trials in my life lead me to rejoice, or do they stir up grumbling and discontent? If I am being completely honest, I had to admit that I tend to grumble far more than rejoice when trials hit my life hard.
James exhorts us, his readers, to not only cope with our trials and tribulations, but to rise above them with the joy of the Lord shining through us. It’s important to notice that James did not say to be joyous for the trials but in the trials. Most people would count it all joy when they escape the trials; however, James calls us as believers to count it all joy while in the trials.
Christians can face trials with joy because of the rich fruit produced from them, such as “perseverance” (hypomonen – meaning steadfastness or endurance in the face of difficulties). And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Perseverance must finish its work to obtain the lofty goal that serves as this epistle’s unifying theme, which is . . . how to achieve spiritual maturity.
Ladies, we may feel alone in our trials, but we’re not. The Lord promises to be with us always (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; Deut. 31:6; Matthew 28:20), and our church family is here to offer help through prayer and encouragement. Though unsettling things are happening in our world, with God and one another, we can persevere toward James’ goal: “to be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Trish Gibb
As I began my quiet time this morning, I was drawn to the book of James. Keep in mind this book is quite “prickly” and convicting, to say the least; but I decided to dive in anyway to see what God had to say to me through His Word.
James Chapter 1 verses 2-4 calls us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I knew right then and there I should have moved on to an “easier” passage to hear God speak to me (ha!). Instead, I prayed and asked God to reveal to me what I needed to hear.
In context, James was giving strong counsel to persecuted Jewish believers scattered among pagan communities. He urged them to face their trials with joy rather than seeing them as punishment or a curse. With that in mind, I asked myself: Do the trials in my life lead me to rejoice, or do they stir up grumbling and discontent? If I am being completely honest, I had to admit that I tend to grumble far more than rejoice when trials hit my life hard.
James exhorts us, his readers, to not only cope with our trials and tribulations, but to rise above them with the joy of the Lord shining through us. It’s important to notice that James did not say to be joyous for the trials but in the trials. Most people would count it all joy when they escape the trials; however, James calls us as believers to count it all joy while in the trials.
Christians can face trials with joy because of the rich fruit produced from them, such as “perseverance” (hypomonen – meaning steadfastness or endurance in the face of difficulties). And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Perseverance must finish its work to obtain the lofty goal that serves as this epistle’s unifying theme, which is . . . how to achieve spiritual maturity.
Ladies, we may feel alone in our trials, but we’re not. The Lord promises to be with us always (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; Deut. 31:6; Matthew 28:20), and our church family is here to offer help through prayer and encouragement. Though unsettling things are happening in our world, with God and one another, we can persevere toward James’ goal: “to be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Trish Gibb
