Meltdown: Imminent 4-30-06
“Stop Foolin’ Yourself” Series James 1:2-12
Intro. Have you ever felt like you’re on the verge of an emotional meltdown? Your life is a mess, your circumstances are out of control and if you could design your own tee shirt it would read, “Meltdown: Imminent”. That imminent meltdown may be due to the fact that your kids are driving you crazy. Or it might have something to do with your health or finances. Some of you are ready to explode because of a situation at work, or some lingering illness. Others of you are ready to give up because you’re battling depression or struggling with some sort of loss. If the truth were known, most of us are a single circumstance away from a complete meltdown. That’s why I love the book of James. It’s got the answers we’re looking for. It is a quick, concise, practical handbook on how to live successfully in the midst of a world that’s gone crazy.
V.1 tells us that James wrote this book for the sake of those xians who were scattered all over the world. History tells us that these xians were persecuted and forced out of their homeland. That meant they were struggling with finding new jobs, making new friends, learning a different language and trying to find a whole new sense of security. To put it simply, many of these xians were on the verge of an emotional meltdown. James recognized that they needed 2 basic things, the encouragement to continue living for Christ and some instruction on how to do it.
For the next couple of months we’re going to investigate what James told these xians and then see how that same message can be applied to our lives. We’ve decided to call the series, “Stop Foolin’ Yourself” because of what James says in 1:22. “God’s Word is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself.” Now listen to me carefully. James says it is possible to hear God’s word on a regular basis, to read it, to know it, to teach it and yet still not obey it. To those people the bible says, you’re fooling yourself, you are playing a game and it’s a game that you can’t possible win. Now when it comes to troubles, trials, tribulations, heartaches and headaches that’s where we find many people playing a game with God’s word. They know what it says, but they are unwilling to apply it to their lives and therefore they’re destined to go through an unending series of meltdowns. So how do we stop this cycle of meltdowns? We do exactly what James says – we not only hear God’s word, but we do it, we not only listen to what the Spirit says, but we apply that truth to our life’s.
The first step to conquering an emotional meltdown is to
I. Face the reality of troubling times.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were a secret formula that would guarantee you the ability to live a life that was trouble free? Imagine the money you could make off such a formula? But guess what? There’s no such thing! James reminds us that trials and troubles; heartaches and headaches and every other kind of ache are inevitable in this life. Notice what he doesn’t say it in v.2 – he doesn’t say “If” trouble comes your way then you’re supposed to act this way. But rather he says “whenever” trouble comes your way. That simple little word means that regardless of who you are, how rich you might be, how well connected you feel, how good a life you live or how often you go to church – you will have times of trouble in this lifetime! Coming to grips with the reality that trouble is a normal and natural part of this life is an important key in handling the circumstances that threaten you with an emotional meltdown.
The bible says there are 2 kinds of circumstances that threaten our emotional stability; we call them trials and temptations. It is important for us to distinguish trials from temptations. Now here’s the rub – the bible uses the same word to talk about each of these circumstances. So how do we know whether it’s a trial or a temptation? We look at the source and the purpose. Every temptation originates in the heart of our ancient enemy, the devil; he’s the source of all temptation. Satan’s singular purpose for every temptation is simple – to cause you and me to sin, to drive a wedge between you and God. On the other hand, trials or what James calls troubles in v.2 originate in the heart of God. God’s purpose for allowing troubles to enter our life is not to harm us but to draw us closer to himself and in the process to mature us in our faith. So when James says, “whenever trouble comes your way” he’s not talking about temptation, but trials. You need to understand that God has a purpose for the troubles you’re experiencing right now! And that purpose is uniquely related to your spiritual maturity and to a new closeness with God.
Many versions identify these times of trouble that we all experience as “various” trials. That word means diversified or multi-colored. What James wants us to know is this – trials and troubles come in all shapes and sizes. They come from every conceivable direction and no trial is exactly like the last one you just went through. Do you remember in the OT the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors? That multi-colored coat was designed to fit Joseph and nobody else. Guess what? God has designed the multi-colored trials and troubles you’re facing today to fit you and nobody else.
I know what you’re thinking – “Well gee whiz, I wish He wouldn’t go to so much trouble for little old me.” But you know what? God loves you so much that he has not only designed circumstances to draw you to Himself, but he’s also designed a certain kind of grace to help you in the midst of those circumstances. James says we’re going to have multi-colored troubles, and then Peter uses the exact same word in 1 Pet.4:10 to remind us that God has given us multi-colored grace to meet every need we have. So whatever the trouble may look like, God has given us a remedy that exactly matches our trouble.
There’s one final thing I want to point out about these troubles we all have to face. I don’t know how to describe it except to say there’s always a certain “shock” value associated with our troubles. James says we “encounter” these trials. Jesus uses the same word when he tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Remember, there was a man who was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho and he got beat up and robbed along the way? Jesus described it this way – “He fell among the robbers”. That word means he didn’t expect this to happen to him, he didn’t leave Jerusalem planning to be robbed…it just happened. That’s the way trouble enters your life – you don’t expect it, you can’t plan for it and you can’t schedule when it might convenient – it just happens! The fact that trouble just happens reminds me of a pop quiz. Remember those? Pop quizzes are those random, nasty little tests that come at the most inconvenient times and yet every good professor designs them for the express purpose of helping you pass the course.
Now we know a little bit about these troubles we’re facing, so what’s the next step? We have to…
II. Offer a biblical response to our trouble.
What’s your normal response when you find yourself encountering these pop quizzes we call trouble? Do you try to get out of it; do you ignore it? Do you get frustrated, angry, bitter, discouraged, depressed? There are a lot of options available to us when troubles hit. But look at what James says we ought to do (v.2) – let it be an opportunity for joy. Now James is not a nutcase who says we ought to laugh our way through a divorce and giggle when we lose our job. NO – this joy comes as a result of understanding what God is doing in you and through you while you’re in the midst of your troubling times.
The joy that James mentions in v.2 is the natural outcome of a life that’s being properly evaluated. Let me show you what I mean. The original language uses a word that calls each of us to evaluate the circumstances we’re facing. It’s the word “consider, reckon or count it”. This little term means to “think beforehand”. It’s the call to make a rational and logical decision about your troubles, even before they hit you in the face. James same its rational and logical to consider our troubles as a source of joy. Now how is that possible? It’s possible because of what James says about the ultimate purpose for our trials. Why does God allow trouble to come into your life? 2 reasons – to increase your endurance and to produce spiritual maturity. V3 – the tests you’re going through are there so that your endurance will have a chance to grow. Endurance is different than patience. Patience is being able to handle tough people, endurance is handling tough circumstances. Another good translation is the word durability – God is using your troubles to build durability into your life. A little over a year ago Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys retired from the NFL and he did so as the all-time reading rusher. People will tell you that he wasn’t the biggest back or even the fastest back in the league and yet his stats are phenomenal. He rushed for over 17,000 yards in his career, which is almost 10 miles long. Now the truly impressive thing about Emmitt is the fact that even though he got knocked to the ground by bigger and stronger men on the average of every 4.2 yards – he never gave up because he understood the ultimate goal was to win. He had durability, endurance and it paid off in the end. That’s what God uses trouble in your life to produce…the ability to get up, even when you don’t feel like it and still win the game. The NLT says when your endurance is fully developed then you will be strong in character and ready for anything. WOW– That’s what I want my life to look like!
The 1st step in responding to your troubles properly is to evaluate your situation according to God’s perspective. The second thing we need to do is ask for the right thing. Have you ever noticed how often we ask for the wrong things when all hell is breaking loose in our lives? Let’s admit it – we usually go to God and ask him to take the pain away, or change our situation, or to make everything easiest. But notice what James says we’re supposed to ask for when we’re in the midst of troubles – v.5 IF YOU NEED WISDOM, ASK GOD! I don’t know if James meant it or not, but this sounds a bit sarcastic. If you need wisdom…who doesn’t need wisdom when their life is falling apart? We all do and yet very few of us actually go to God and ask him for the one thing that’s absolutely necessary when the bottom falls out.
What exactly is wisdom? Thankfully wisdom isn’t reserved just for those who are intellectually gifted. No, the biblical word means the ability to use the knowledge you have in a right manner. So asking God for wisdom is a prayer that says, “God help me to know what to do in this situation and then whatever you say, I’ll do it.” I don’t know if you’ve ever faced the kind of trouble where you’re so totally dumbfounded and frustrated that you don’t know where to turn, who to turn to or what your next step ought to be. If you haven’t been there yet then hang on because that day is coming. And when it does, your answer is to go to God and ask Him for wisdom.
When those troubling times come and our life is a mess, why should we turn to God instead of our family and friends? Several reasons – (1) because God alone has an eternal perspective on your troubles. Nobody else can see the beginning and the end of your troubles all at the same time. And nobody else understands the good these troubles are producing for you. (2). We should ask God because He will gladly tell us – He’ll give us an answer. Some other versions say he gives liberally or generously. The implication is that when we ask God for the right thing, then he lays out a banquet table of wisdom for us to use. (3). He’ll not resent you asking for wisdom. Let me put it this way – God is gracious, understanding and he desperately wants to be our source of strength while we face these troubling times.
So far we’ve evaluated our situation from a divine perspective, we’ve come to the conclusion that we don’t have the smarts necessary to make it out of this predicament on our own and so we ask God for wisdom. Now what’s the final step? Believe it or not, the final step is necessary in every aspect of our xian life. It is the step of faith. When we ask God for wisdom and help in the midst of our troubles, we MUST ask in faith. Look at v.6 – when we ask for wisdom we must be sure that we really expect him to answer.
Can I confess something to you? There are many times when I ask God for something but I’m not really sure that I expect him to answer me. That’s way my prayer life isn’t nearly as powerful as it ought to be and perhaps why my troubles linger longer than they need to. Those who ask God for wisdom and help and yet don’t expect him to answer them are called double minded people. V.8 says they can’t make up their minds; they’re always wavering back and forth. Let me show you something very important. V.7 emphatically says, “People like that, double-minded people, should not expect anything from God.”
God is ready and willing to give you the answers you seek and the help you need, but he requires one thing – FAITH. You’ve got to believe that the troubles you’re going through have a divine purpose; they are meant for your good and in the end, God will be glorified by your situation.
The next time you’re threatened by an emotional meltdown, what are you going to do? Evaluate your situation biblically, ask for the right thing (wisdom) and then step out and walk in faith. If you’ll do that then look at the promise God gives you in v.12. You’ll be blessed and you’ll receive the crown of life. To be blessed means you’ll be happy, satisfied and joyful even in the midst of your trials and then this crown is simply a symbol that you’ve received God’s total approval. So you see, God isn’t allowing troubles in your life to beat you down, but rather he wants to use them to lift you up and make you more like Jesus Christ.
What do you need to ask God for today? Forgiveness? Wisdom? Help? Whatever your need may be – God is ready to meet it right now.
