" 2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (The Message)
Everyone goes through times of tests and challenges!
The fact is most of the time I find myself either coming out of the challenge, in the midst of it, or seeing the next one coming. I don't like it and there have been plenty of times that I have prayed to God that I might live a boring life. I don't know if tests and challenges just follow me around or if I search them out but I seem to be living anything but a boring life. When I read this passage the last think I usually think of is joy.
When we are encouraged to seek joy in the midst of trials it sounds empty and vague. In fact it is a great turn off to many people who in the midst of great pain are told that "God has a plan for all this!" In fact I would like to ban those words from the mouths of believers because they just aren't helpful when all you can see is pain, misery, and disappointed. I would even go so far as to say that blaming God for the trials of life turns more people away from God than it brings encouragement.
So what might James be saying here in this passage? Could it be that we are to live our lives trusting God in all things both the good and the bad? Are we to live in such ways that others can see God present when both good and bad things happen?
Some thoughts to ponder and talk about with others:
- Who do you know that seems to have a great trust in God no matter what is happening around them? How have you seen this lived out?
- When you are faced with challenges is your usual response pessimism and defeat or anticipation in what God might be doing in the midst of it all?
- When you find yourself in the midst of life's challenges what words or actions from others give you hope?
- What challenge are you facing right now that might build a deeper trust in God's faithfulness within you? What might you do to encourage that trust in God to grow even stronger?
Sid - what an interesting first post! As we've discussed before, I believe that none of us are immune to life's trials. Duh! I feel like life is moving from one trial to another sometimes - and, yes, I too wonder if I seek them out or if they seek me out.
ReplyDeleteI hope we can all be kind to ourselves in the midst of our greatest trials for it's our fallible nature to question God at the very moment we should trust the most. I further hope we can reach out to others in that moment and share our weakness and allow them to try to encourage us - even in their fallible way.