Having Faith When Times Are Hard

Off and on in the past couple of months, we have been talking about faith and how it plays a part, a vital part in our spiritual lives. So now that each of us has examined our spiritual faith, what do we do with it? What part does it play in our lives? Over the next 6 weeks or so I want to take that subject of faith and discuss how it applies in our life during the hard times, in the relationships we have, in our daily actions, in our conversations with others, when we face the enemy, and where that faith fits in our priorities.

Sure, we've learned what faith is and how we obtain it and how we hold on to it. But now let's talk about living out our faith. What is more important the wedding or the marriage that follows? To have a lasting marriage the couple will need to do more than just celebrate their love, they will have to live out their love.

Let's switch the picture now to our faith. A lot of people celebrate the fact that they believe in Jesus and have followed that with baptism. But we have to do more than express our faith. We have to live out our faith. Knowing what you believe is one thing. Living it is much greater. That is our journey for the next 6 weeks. Prayer.

You might remember the true story about Dave Dravecky. He was a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. But he was diagnosed with cancer in his pitching arm. He went through the surgery and he was still determined to keep pitching. On August 10th, 1989, just 10 months after surgery to remove the tumor, he won the first game of his comeback. 5 days later, in the bottom of the sixth inning, he delivered his 69th pitch of the night. He would never throw another pitch.

With that final pitch, his arm snapped and he fell to the ground in pain. He ended up having to have his arm amputated. What a let down that must have been for Dave Dravecky.

We may not have had anything so drastic happen to us, but it's still difficult even to think of joy in those trying moments of our lives. Yet James wrote that believers should consider trials joyous. It's not that the trials themselves are joyous, but we can have joy even as we go through hard seasons. I'll be using James 1 today for our text. After a brief introduction, James gets right to the point.

James 1:1-2 – “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ:

To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings. 2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,”

This is a familiar verse that we have heard and read many times. Did you know that as Christians, we are equipped to face adversity and challenges? 13 times in this letter written by James did he refer to his readers as my brothers and sisters. That's important to remember as we consider this unusual command to consider our trials as a joy. The world doesn't see any joy in trying times because it can be a time of isolation and separation.

But for those who are Christians, we're not alone, we have fellowship with other believers. In Christ, we can have joy. Joy is kind of a supernatural response that's empowered by God. James was genuinely concerned and wanted us to think about our trials in a totally different way as a Christian, not complaining, whining, or grumbling, but with great joy.

James called them various trials. That encompasses a whole lot. It includes all of the challenges that we face and the unique trials that believers experience simply because they are believers and are persecuted for their faith. Christians can experience joy in everyday life challenges, as well as in more serious misfortunes.

Any and all trials can test our faith, and in the process, those trials can actually strengthen our faith. Our trials act as a certification process for the genuineness of our faith. Do you realize that it is those difficult days that actually refine our faith? Trials purify a believer's faith. And as our faith is strengthened, we develop a deeper confidence in God and His power.

James 1:3-4 – “because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”

So we see that adversity and trials refine our faith. Through these trials, we gain the ability to endure hardships. We become steadfast. Yes, trials can strengthen our faith just as exposure to wind strengthens trees. Now the science side of me is going to come out.