Trials, Perseverance, And Maturity

Trials, Perseverance, and Maturity

James 1:2-4 NIV

James 1:2-4 NIV

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James AKA Camel Knees

1st James tells us to "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials.

2nd James had also learned that difficulties can produce steadfastness or patience.

3rd James concludes with purpose of trials and patience: Spiritual maturity for service.

There are times when all we think we can do is hold on.

FOUR GUYS DECIDED to go mountain climbing one weekend. In the middle of the climb, one fella slipped over a cliff, dropped about sixty feet and landed with a thud on the ledge below. The other three, hoping to rescue him, yelled, "Joe, are you OK?"

"I’m alive ... but I think I broke both my arms!"

"We’ll toss a rope down to you and pull you up. Just lie still!" said the three.

"Fine," answered Joe.

A couple of minutes after dropping one end of the rope, they started tugging and grunting together, working feverishly to pull their wounded companion to safety. When they had him about three-fourths of the way up, they suddenly remembered he said he had broken BOTH his arms.

"Joe! If you broke both your arms, how in the world are you hanging on?"

Joe responded, "With my TEEEEEEEEEEEETH...."

Understand God’s testing.

His testing does not come when we are warned and ready.

Anyone can pass a test then. ... God’s tests catch us unprepared, off-guard. It is when we

are confronted with some simple situation no one will know about that the tests of life

really come. When you are relaxing at home and the phone rings and suddenly you are

confronted with a call for help, or a demand for a response-and you had planned to relax

and enjoy yourself all afternoon-what happens then? That’s the test.

1. The testing we go through demonstrates the genuineness of our faith.

2. This is the word Job used when he said, ’When he has tried me in the fire, I will come out like gold’ (Job 23:10).

3. A ship cannot prove that it has been sturdily built as long as it stays in dry dock. Its hull must get wet; it must face a storm to demonstrate genuine seaworthiness.

4. The same is true of our faith. When we hold fast to belief in Christ in spite of life’s storms and crushing criticism, that is when we demonstrate the genuineness of our faith."

Many time we fail because we are Feeling sorry about yourself

So you think you have problems. Who doesn’t? That is no reason for you to quit the church or abandon the Faith. "You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (James 5:11).

Put yourself in the shoes of Job for a moment:

1. HE LOST HIS WEALTH. In rapid succession three messengers came telling Job of the destruction of his property and servants by bands of robbers and by lightning.

2. HE LOST HIS FAMILY. A fourth messenger came telling of the death of all of Job’s children. Seven sons and three daughters were crushed in a moment when the house fell.

3. HE LOST HIS HEALTH. Job was smitten from head to foot with most loathsome ulcers. He was constrained to sit down among the ashes and scrape himself with a potsherd.

4. HE LOST HIS FRIENDS. His servants turned their backs on him. The children in the streets despised Job and mocked him. His friends told him that his sufferings were because of his wickedness. And his wife nagged him to curse God and die.

If you take any of these trials separately they would be great, but view them collectively and one is almost overwhelmed. But in the midst of calamity, "Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped" (Job 1:20).

We suffer many hardships, being often knocked down but never knocked out

Our memory of God’s goodness is often crushed by pain. When you suffer sharp pain, or weary aches, or a high fever, you tend to forget the days of health and strength. You only remember the sharp intervals of weakness and sorrow.

How to face the trials

1. Receive God’s Grace.

Gal 3:3 NIV

3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

2. Know Gods scripture for trials

Ps 37:28 NIV

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;