The Moon is Always Round
A Faith That Perseveres is Rooted in Wisdom!
James 1:2;5 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds… 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
The Path of Wisdom: The path of wisdom always involves discipline and testing. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, leading to a life reflecting God's character and walking in the virtue of the Savior.
Joy Through Wisdom: We can have joy not necessarily because our circumstances change miraculously, but because God's wisdom equips us with the virtues to navigate life's complexities in a godly manner that brings Him glory. This understanding of wisdom is why James emphasizes it when facing trials.
Trials as Opportunities for Refinement: Wisdom helps us see trials not as random attacks to break us, but as opportunities to be refined by God's providence, the ultimate Blacksmith forging our souls to be more like Him. Wisdom enables us to control our responses and react in a way that aligns with His will and for His glory.
Life Application:
Reflect on a specific trial you are currently facing or have faced.
Did you approach it with a desire for God's wisdom, seeking to understand what He was teaching you? Or did you react with bitterness?
How can you actively seek God's wisdom in your current challenges this week?
The Birth of Trials (Big or Small) Leads to a Faith That Perseveres.
James 1:3: 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Our Fleshly Response: Our initial reaction to trials might be that they threaten our faith, but in reality, they are often establishing a persevering faith. We might feel like trials will break us, and even in the slightest adversity, we may be tempted to quit before the finished work is complete.
James 1:4: We are to let steadfastness have its full effect so that we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
A Warning Against Stubbornness: While steadfastness is good, we shouldn't let it turn into obsessive stubbornness, minimizing or missing the intended effect of the trial. A stubborn determination might seek to rush through the trial or take shortcuts, trying to remove it quickly rather than allowing wisdom to have its full effect. This can cause us to miss the lessons God is trying to teach us.
Perfect and Complete: "Perfect" and "complete" here don't refer to a sinless state. Instead, James is saying that trials are not interruptions to our story, but an essential part of God's narrative, bringing us into a state of completion, lacking nothing.
James 1:5-6: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 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.
Asking for Wisdom Without Doubt: Some of us need to ask God for wisdom to see our trials in the proper light. However, when we ask, we must ask in faith without doubting. "Doubting" here doesn't refer to intellectual questions or little faith but to doubting the character of God – His goodness, power, and sovereignty. Our doubt might say, "If God is all good, why would He allow pain?"
Trusting God's Character: God sets the paths before us and has written our story, including trials that are for our good. Do we doubt the character of the King because we don't like being ruled by the One who sets the rules of our story? If so, we are like waves of the sea, tossed by uncertainty. A faith that perseveres believes in the divine nature of God, trusting in His inherent goodness even when life seems to fall apart.
The Moon is Always Round: Faithful perseverance means believing that "the moon is always round" – God is always good – even when we can only see a sliver of His plan.
Life Application:
Reflect on a time when you might have been tempted to give up during a trial. What could you have learned or gained by persevering fully?
How can you actively cultivate steadfastness in your current challenges, while remaining open to God's guidance and lessons?
This week, if you find yourself doubting God's character in the midst of difficulty, take time to recall His faithfulness in the past and reaffirm your trust in His goodness.
