Praise You in the Storm

When trials come our way, what do we do? Our fight or flight instinct kicks in. I ask this question first of all to get your own view of yourself before I continue, do you run? Or do you fight? Got it?

Okay, reading from James 1:2-4. History first. James is clearly the guy who wrote this to the 12 tribes that had been scattered among the nations, these were Jewish Christians. A little on James himself, he didn't believe until after Jesus' resurrection, he later becomes a leader of a church in Jerusalem and he was in charge of the Jerusalem council. There's our man James. 

James states, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..." That is the opening verse to this little sections. What the flip?! James... what are you on about. Joy, in trials? But, there is a reason why he is saying this. It develops your character and certain aspects of your personality. Persevering through something is to push through it, just keep going! Spiritually, this will make you more mature. You would be as it states in Mark 4:8, "good soil." You do not want to fade away at the first sign of trouble, does that show that you had any faith to start of with? 

As we go through trials, we should have a support network, people we can truly trust. Without these people, trials become harder and yet, why don't we lean on God as much as humans? Don't get me wrong, people are great! Really super and if you can have people to pray with you that's fantastic and maybe, that's God providing for your spiritual needs in times of trial. I'm interested that in Romans 5:3 it says, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance..." It then lists other characteristics that develop from perseverance. This is clearly a message worth hearing! If you persevere then you'll reap the rewards of it afterwards, therefore, be glad in your suffering! 

This may be a difficult pill to swallow and I know for a fact that when something goes wrong it's hard to feel the Father's embrace, but He is there. With perseverance you'll develop your character and as it says in Romans, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us.