TRIALS— THEY ARE TO BUILD US UP
TRIALS— THEY ARE TO BUILD US UP!
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. —James 1:2-8
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves… But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. —James 1:22, 25
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. —James 2:26
Trials…
- Come in various kinds
- Test our faith
- Produces steadfastness
- Perfect us (develop us, mature us)
- Complete us (make us whole)
- Bring us to lack nothing
- Cause us to ask God for wisdom
- Encourage us to ask in faith
- Encourage us not to doubt God
- Keep us from being driven and tossed by the wind
- Give us opportunity to receive from the Lord
- Keep us from being double-minded
- Keep us from being unstable
So, in the midst of trials we cling to what God says and apply to life what He says so we will not be self-deceived. By doing so we will experience His blessing in our lives. Trials are not to stop us in our tracks, but they are to encourage us to trust God more while we continue to serve Him however He wants us to, even in the midst of trials. Oh, that we would do so and let the trials accomplish in our lives what He desires to, even in the midst of trials. Oh yes, Dear Father, may this be the case by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, my Lord Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb8WZ2ND4BY