for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  -James 1:3

 

Difficult things are going to happen to us in life whether we like it or not. Whether we are saved or not. At some point in this fallen world, we will experience trials and difficulties.  Being a Christian does not and will not shield us from the difficulties of life. If anything, becoming a Christian may sometimes bring more trials and difficulties than ever before.  For one the world would hate us, our worldly friends might come to resent us since we will no longer be interested in the ungodly activities we all used to participate it.

Difficult times usually bring out a flood of emotions such as fear, anger and anxiety. These emotions are considered normal reactions to difficulties. We expect them in ourselves and in others. But should we? The Bible calls us to a higher place. It teaches us that we do not have to respond to difficulties with the normal reactions, we can have a different reaction to difficult situations. It tells us we can choose our emotions. How?  By what we know to be true about God. This is not positive thinking, neither is it a call to “visualize” the problem away. 

 

You see, God does not have any favorite children, He will not treat us any differently than He treated His beloved Son. If the path to victory for the beloved Son of God was through suffering, why would we think ours will be different?

 

The Bible teaches us in James 1:2-3 the when difficult times come upon us, notice it says “when”, not “if”. Being a Christian as I said earlier does not exonerate us from experiencing difficult times.  As a matter of fact, God has ordained and determined in His sovereignty that as believers, we will experience difficulties on our journey from earth to heaven. Luke tells us in  Acts 14:22 that the Apostle Paul went about “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  

Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 16:24-26  “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.For whoever would save his lifewill lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”   The cross is an instrument of torture, an instrument of pain and death. Yet, Jesus says if we are to follow Him, we must forsake ourselves, our desires, our wants, carry our cross, then follow. He goes on to make us a promise – that it is in losing our lives for Him and in being willing, even to die for His sake that we can truly live.

Why would a loving God plan for His children to go through suffering and difficulty to get to heaven?  God has designed suffering as a means to purify us. To remove all the impurities that would hinder us from becoming a pure vessel unto honor in the Lord’s house. Impurities such as pride. Pride is the root of many sins, if not all and a sure sign of immaturity.  Suffering produces steadfastness and humility both of which are the evidence of maturity.

 

 God uses trials to produce steadfastness or patience in His children. Patience is the evidence of our Christlikeness and maturity.

 

This is why James tells the believers he was writing to and us, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, that when difficulties come, we should appraise the situation (consider it) in light of God’s word. In light of verses like Acts 14:22 above and also, Hebrews 12:7 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? and many other scriptures in the Bible.

 

Knowledge of the word of God is the key to choosing our emotions.

 

You see, God does not have any favorite children, He will not treat us any differently than He treated His beloved Son. If the path to victory for the beloved Son of God was through suffering, why would we think ours will be different? Hebrews 5:8 tells us concerning Jesus that “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”. Now, unlike us who are sinful humans and born in sin, Christ did not have to suffer to correct any sinful disobedience in His life, as John MacArthur puts it “He learned obedience for the same reasons he bore temptation: to confirm his humanity and experience its sufferings to the fullest (see notes on Heb. 2:10; cf. Luke 2:52; Phil. 2:8). Christ’s obedience was also necessary so that he could fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:15) and thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners(1 Pet. 3:18). He was the perfectly righteous One, whose righteousness would be imputed to sinners (cf. Rom. 3:24–26).”

Humility and patience does not only show maturity, but makes us more like Jesus, which is God’s goal for us. God allows difficulties in our lives because we were predestined by God, to be confirmed into the image of His Son. Romans 8:29 – “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”  Even before the foundation of the world, God has predestined that all who belong to Him will be made into the image of Christ. God uses trials to produce steadfastness or patience in His children. Patience is the evidence of our Christlikeness and maturity.

Someone might say, why must we attribute all suffering in our life to God? Surely the devil attacks the children of God and we ought to “rebuke him”.  Not only the devil, we can also incur the Lord’s discipline in our lives when we sin. Why should we attribute all suffering to God maturing us?  We attribute all suffering to God because He is sovereign over circumstance and situation.  While God is not the author of evil, He has does the circumstances to achieve His purposes. That is why James tells us to appraise every trial that come into our lives in light of what we know about God and His word. Then and only then will we be able to choose to respond with the right emotions.

When difficulties arise in our lives, we do not have to succumb to the “normal” emotions of those around us, we can chose a joyful emotion because of what we know about the character of God. Our choice of emotions does not rest in our ability to “bear it”, but on God and what we know about His word. Knowledge of the word of God is the key to choosing our emotions. That is not always an easy thing to do, that is why James asks us to pray for wisdom.  Pray boldly and ask in faith without doubting and God will give us that wisdom. James 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Soli Deo Gloria!