Keeping Our Faith During The Hard Times

Hard times. We've probably all been through hard times at least once. It may be a financial loss that caused the hard times. It may be a job loss that caused the financial loss. It may be a relational loss - breaking up with someone we thought would be a lifelong friend. When these hard times come, what do we do? Sometimes we might shake our fist at God and blame Him. What should we do? We say that we have faith in God, but what happens to that faith during those hard times? What happens to our joy?

It's difficult even to think of joy in those trying moments, yet James wrote that believers should consider trials joyous. It's not the trials themselves that are joyous, but we can have joy even as we go through those hard seasons. Today, we will be using the first 12 verses of the first chapter in the writings of James.

PRAYER

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,

James didn't beat around the bush. After a very brief introduction, he gets straight to the point in his letter. He called his readers, (that's us), to face our various trials with great joy. To be a joyful Christian is not an option. In fact, to consider it a great joy is a command.

Did you know that as Christians we're uniquely equipped to face adversity and challenges? 13 other times in this letter, James referred to his readers as my brothers and sisters. That may not sound very important but it is important to remember as we hear this unusual command to consider it a great joy whenever you experience various trials.

When the world comes upon trials, the world sees no joy during those trying times because it can be a time of isolation and separation. At times, when we are going through a trial and we want to withdraw from the human race for a while. But for those who follow Christ, we are not alone. We have fellowship with other believers that might even be going through the same trying times that we are. In Christ, we can have joy. Joy is one of those supernatural responses, it's empowered by God. James wanted us to think about our trials in a Christian way, not complaining, whining, or grumbling, but with great joy. And that's not always that easy to do, is it?

In verse 2, James uses the phrase “various trials”. “Various trials” includes all of the challenges that all people face and the unique trials believers experience because of the persecution for their faith. You see, Christians can experience joy in everyday life challenges, as well as in the more serious misfortunes.

Any and all trials can test our faith, that's true. But in the process, those trials can strengthen our faith. Our trials act as a certification process, if you will, for the genuineness of our faith. In other words, you can just feel the strength of someone's faith as they hold their head high and still show the joy that Jesus gives them even though they may be going through a serious trial.

James 1:3-4 - 3 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.

In other words, don't look at the trial as a tragedy. Instead look at the trial as an opportunity to strengthen your faith. Easy for me to say, right? But the truth is, trials can strengthen our faith and develop within us a deeper confidence in God and His power. Adversity and trials are a refining process of our faith. Through trials, believers develop the ability to endure the hardships. We become more steadfast.

Trials can strengthen our faith just like the exposure to wind strengthens trees. The strongest trees are those that are on top of the mountain that are whipped by the wind. Those in the peaceful valleys are not near as strong. ***********Scientists constructed a biosphere, a miniature version of the earth, to learn more about how our planet's systems work. But they made an unexpected discovery. In the process, they learned about the value of exposure to wind for the trees. While the trees grew more quickly in the biosphere, they fell under their own weight before they could completely mature. Without the resistance of the wind, they didn't develop adequate strength.

In much the same way that is how the trials strengthen our faith. Just as the wind makes a tree stronger, giving it the strength to hold up its own weight, trials also strengthen believers, giving us the ability to bear the weight of life. This isn't a test of our personal strength or wisdom. Instead, it's a test of our faith in the strength and wisdom of God to see us through. Faith is like a muscle. Faith is a muscle that must be exercised to gain strength.