This past week for me was a trying roller coaster. You had the craziness around the election, then I was looking forward to my birthday, only to have half of my family get hit by illness and finding out our pet has fleas. Obviously there are others in much worse situations, but dang it it’s my birthday and I deserve to celebrate! These trials are annoying and ruining my fun. Let’s just say I have been in the wrong frame of mind. Then the Lord reminded me of this.

James 1:2-7 (NIV): 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

I need to consider it pure joy when I face trials because the testing of my faith produces perseverance so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. It doesn’t mean I throw a party because I am facing trials, but I need to see beyond them to my good and perfect heavenly Father who is using them to complete me, molding me into the best man he wants me to be.

And he gives us some key tips on how we can persevere through trials:

1) Ask for wisdom from God in faith, believing he will provide it. James 1:5-6: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2) Regardless of our station in life, we need to be humble, thankful, and mindful that life on this earth is temporary. As believers in Christ, we have a much greater citizenship for all eternity. We need to live in this world in light of eternity.  (James 1:9-11, Ephesians 2:18-20, Hebrews 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 4)
3) And last but not least, we have a Good Father, from whom every good and perfect gift is from. He does not change. He knows what we need and provides us everything we need to persevere and live for him (James 1:17, 2 Corin. 9:8-9, 2 Peter 1:3-4). SEEK HIM, TRUST HIM & ENJOY HIM!

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Listen to this song and remember whose you are!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA

M.I.T.T.