Every Day GOD / Joyful Trials? Excuse Me?

James 1:2-18Amplified Bible (AMP)

2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

"Not one time have I ever had a joyful trial. I can think of many words to describe trials, but joyful isn’t one. Hmmm…  Atrocious, awful, dreadful, painful, terrible, shocking and unspeakable to name a few. I’m going through a trial right now. God's word says trials make me stronger. But why does it feel like the life is being sucked right out of me? My heart is breaking. I keep turning everything over to Jesus, but the trial continues. On and on. Joyful? I think not. Jesus keeps telling me, “Let go!”, and I keep repeating His words out loud to convince myself but it’s not working very well.
But yes, I feel Him working in me. Sometimes I do feel deep joy. But only when I’m in His presence. But I can’t put my life on hold and sit in His presence 24/7. I only wish I could."

5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,

8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

Wow. Excuse me, but sometimes the second half of verse 6 describes me exactly! And seven and eight seal the deal!  At times I am firm about what God has led me to do, but then I start to wonder if I heard right!

My faith in God doesn’t waver, but my faith in my own ability to hear God’s voice is definitely shaky.

9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],

10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

Don’t you love God’s word? If we are poor or feel lower than everyone else, we are to glory as a Christian. And if we are rich, we are to realize we could fade away to nothing at any second.

12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

And here’s my answer! Patience. God promises that I WILL receive the victor’s crown of life if patiently wait and if I continue to love Him throughout the trial.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one.

14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

Temptation comes to everyone. I’m tempted all the time. Sometimes I just want to have fun. Is that too much to ask? No it’s not. But I can easily get sucked into doing nothing else but relaxing and having fun. This is my temptation. If I live for having fun all the time, I start to sink into depression. Why? Because I am not fulfilling God’s purpose for me. I read an excerpt from a book entitled, “Do Hard Things.” Having fun is fun, that’s all. But I have found that doing hard things ends up being incredibly fun with a lasting joy! And I fall into bed exhausted and happy!

16 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

17 Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

God has soooooo many gifts for us. We only have to chase after Him! Pursue a relationship with Him. He surprises me with delightful gifts every day! He actually shocks me sometimes! The cool thing is this. I think I know what I want, but He created me. So He actually knows me better than I know myself!

“Thanks, Jesus, for Your incredible word to me today. I encouraged myself as I studied through these scriptures. I started off a little sad; and You turned my thinking around to focusing on the many gifts You send my way every day. You are rich in love and mercy to me, Almighty Father. How I adore You!  Create in me a clean, grateful heart!  Every day that I live!  In Your matchless name, the name of Jesus, I pray, AMEN.”