James 1:2-11
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.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
I love how James begins this letter to first century Jewish Christians. There's no catching up. There are no niceties. There is no blessing. His lead sentence is about trials. And he omits a word that I likely would have used, "if." I would have appreciated James to say something like "consider it pure joy if you face trials of many kinds." But instead James uses the word "whenever." It's not a matter of "if" we will face trials but "whenever" we will face trials. That's important to note. Trials, disappointment, pain, frustration, and even persecution are the reality for followers of Jesus. But it should be noted, they are a reality for everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike. For believers, though, our suffering has meaning. We understand when we are faithfully living out our faith we are suffering in the midst of our faith and have an ever-present Savior by our side.
This Sunday at OKC First Church we will be examining what it means to experience "trials of many kinds," how those trials can be turned into triumphs, and the process from trials to perseverance. I hope to see each of you online or in person this Sunday at 10:45 at OKC First Church!
Pastor Lesly
