May the mumbling commence!
Feeling a little under pressure lately? Not sure what to do? James maps it out for us in the first chapter of his letter (Phillips Translation):
When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence.
And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God – who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty – and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him.
But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from the Lord, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn. (Verses 2-8)
Trials and temptations are our friends! That is not a comforting thought when taken at face value. With friends like that, I don’t need any enemies!
Exactly how are trials and temptations my friends? Trials and temptations are a good workout for my faith. They test my faith with the intent of making it strong and persistent. These are not sprints but marathons.
If we embrace our trials and temptations, our faith and endurance will become fully developed and we will fully mature. We will realize the right sort of independence – one that is dependent upon God and interdependent on our brothers and sisters in the family of God.
After all, what do we do when a trial or temptation should overwhelm us? Ask God for wisdom… and be sure that you really want God’s help. God’s help does not always come like a superhero. Often God’s help comes in life transformation and maturation.
If we are not ready to learn these things from our Lord, there is no hope for us. The bright noonday sun will wilt us. The winds will toss us about like waves of a shallow sea. Our loyalty must be invested in God alone. Any other investments that we make will only prove to be instable and cause us to fall.
Bring on the pressure! Bring it on not because God is on my side, but because I am honestly seeking to follow and obey the Lord.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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