Count Your Trials to Be Blessings
Text: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (Jam 1:2-4)
Text idea: James writes to the 12 tribes scattered abroad about responding to trials in a godly manner.
Sermon idea: The Spirit is still teaching us today through this passage that we must consider our trials to be fruit-producing blessings.
Interrogative: How should I respond to trials?
Transition: Our response to trials can and should be focused on the fact that God is preparing us for something important.
Introduction:
Painful circumstances are part of the road of life. No one is exempt from tragic losses. Death is no respecter of persons. Loved ones – snatched away suddenly leaving those who are left here lonely…hurting. You might have health one day and the next…health – suddenly gone. Wealth, and then one day wealth – suddenly gone. Tragedy inevitably comes…often without warning.
Painful circumstances are sometimes the result of sin. Sinners often suffer the natural consequences of their sin. AIDS, unplanned pregnancy, poverty (vices are expensive), the anguish of bitterness as parents sit in nursing homes because they taught their children by example to be selfish…and the list goes on. These are not intended to try faith, for sinners have none. Rather, their best result is to lead a sinner to saving faith. All trials are painful experiences but not all painful experiences are the trying of faith.
But what about good people? Sure, we understand that sinners suffer for their sins. But shouldn’t good people be exempt from painful experiences? What about all those saints who are in poverty or sickness? What about the godly people who are mocked and persecuted for their faith? Or those parents who try their hardest to raise their child to fear God and then that child comes home and informs their loving mother and father that they don’t believe in their God. “Jesus is imaginary! You taught me a bunch of lies. If your religion comforts you, I’m glad. I just can’t be that gullible. And I need to tell you something else. I’m gay.”
There once was a man who was perfect. He never lied, stole, hated, lusted, dishonored His mother or father…He was perfect. You might expect that he would be born into wealth. He was not. He was born into poverty. You might expect that man to have had no enemies…but He did. He had many. Things even got so bad that his friends were afraid to admit that they were his friends. He faced trouble. Loneliness; beatings from people whom he had done no wrong; crowds cried out for his death; he was spit upon; despised and rejected by his fellow man. That man was Jesus. The first and the last perfect man. HE experienced heartache. HE is our example.
In light of that fact we should “think it not strange” when painful things happen to us – we should expect it. With this knowledge we will beware of the fact that trials are inevitable.
Transition: The question is how should you respond to trials.
I. Choose to Face Your Trials With the Right Focus
a. The Holy Spirit admonishes us by the words of the apostle James to “count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations”. If that sounds strange to you perhaps you need a good definition of joy. How can you “count it all joy” without a definition of joy? Joy IS an emotion of happy contentment BUT that emotion is an emotion based on volition. Joy is the product of a proper focus. You can count your trials to be blessings!
b. This proper focus is not an ignorant focus. It is not the bury your head in the sand approach. The Biblical focus that produces joy is an informed focus.
i. Jesus said: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” (Luk 6:22-23)
ii. And Peter told us: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1Pe 4:12-13)
iii. The natural tendency is to look at your trial through a magnifying glass. Through that focus you can see the trial in all the intricacies of its ugliness. But let me encourage you to set aside the magnifying glass and take up a telescope. You can count your trials to be blessings as you look forward to the blessing coming to you through your trial.
1. Growing up I marveled at the fact that whenever I learned a new word that word seemed to pop up everywhere. I don’t think that it was a coincidence. We see what we look for. That new word seemed to be everywhere because I was focused on it. So it is with your trials. If you choose to count your trials to be blessings you’ll take notice of all the blessings you receive both during and after your trial.
c. Consider your alternative: count it all depression. You might say, “You just don’t understand what I’m going through. If you understood the pain I’m going through you couldn’t say “count it all joy.” There is a time to “weep with them that weep”, but what is the alternative to “count it all joy”? Well, you could count it all depression and despair. What makes that alternative attractive? Nothing. Gloom and doom and despair get old fast.
d. The choice is yours. You can focus on your pain. You can blame God and become bitter. You can focus on the prosperity of the wicked. The choice is yours. Trials are not a choice. Trials are a fact. Your response to trails is YOUR responsibility. Choose to “count it all joy”.
Transition: But still you want to know, why is this happening to me?
II. Expect Your Trials to Produce Fruit
a. Your faith is tried when painful experiences come your way. Doubts come. God’s power comes into question. Your faith is tested. If God is really in control, how can He be good? Is He even there?
b. Your young child dies. Your parent, who you still need, dies. Your prayers go unanswered. Your “friends” mock you and leave you isolated. Sudden financial losses overtake you.
c. What good could come from all this heartache? The answer is endurance. Endurance is produced by trials. We become more and more able to face challenges as we conquer the doubts produced by the trying of our faith. No trial seems pleasant at the time. What makes it all worth while is the fruit it produces. That trial will produce the fruit of endurance in your life. Your trial is not meaningless! God is too good to allow needless suffering.
d. So choose to let patience have her perfect work in you. Endure the trial. Refuse satanic offers of deliverance through disobedience. Reject satanic thoughts. When your faith is tried the deceiver would have you to believe that God has forsaken you. Reject that lie! Become the person God wants you to be by enduring the trial of your faith. Don’t give up! Today’s trial will produce in you the endurance necessary to come through tomorrow’s test victoriously. You can choose to count your trials to be blessings.
Transition: You may say, “I understand that trials are to perfect me, but, why should I be so eager to be perfected?”
III. Look to the Future
a. The ultimate reason for our trials is to fit us for the sky. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”(1Co 15:19) Count your trials to be blessings. We’re being prepared to rule and reign with Him. Everything in this life will pass, both the painful and the pleasant. Our glorification with Christ will be endless.
b. Runners don’t prepare for a marathon with the intention of passing out on the way to the finish line. Neither does the marathon runner run for the pure joy of running. Painful exercise is necessary in order for the runner to get the place where he can finish the race. All that work isn’t for nothing! Runners run to win! So should we.
c. The question may still run through your mind: Why should I desire to be perfect? Why should I go through all this pain? Why do I want to build perseverance? We should desire to be perfect and entire because of the truth of verse 12. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (Jam 1:12) God is preparing us for eternal usefulness. Faith will remain even into eternity. Allow your trials to strengthen your faith. If you don’t give up you’ll receive from God the crown of life. If you don’t give up you’ll be fitted for the sky.
d. I encourage you to change your perspective. It is certain that we are not commanded to do the impossible. We CAN “count it all joy”. The question is will you decide to count your trials to be blessings. Choose today to focus on the future rather than on the pain of the present. Put the microscope down and pick up the telescope. Look up! That’s where we’re heading, if we’ll just hold out. Become more enduring by enduring. Know that your trials ARE blessings. God is preparing you for something greater. All the painful experiences that don’t make sense start making sense when you choose to count your trials to be blessings. God has great things in store for you. Don’t give up!
