Passage: James 1:5-8 Speaker: Pastor Lukus Counterman Series: Faith that Works
Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Trials are not for nothing, and they are never wasted experiences. Why? Because God is achieving something in us as we persevere through them. He is investing in our faith. Now that doesn't mean that they are not painful. We are not to pretend trials and grief do not hurt us; it is natural and normal that they do. Suffering in and of itself is not a good thing. But what James is saying is that what God can accomplish through suffering is a good thing. During times of intense pain, it is common to feel a sense of disorientation, to lose our bearings. We do not need to feel that trials are times we have to prove we have it all figured out. James assumes that when we face trials we will need wisdom and so he counsels us to ask God for it. God gives, he gives to all, he gives without finding fault – so ask him for wisdom today. May the Lord help us to have single-minded faith and resolute confidence in God in the midst of trials. May the Lord give us wisdom to discern and do his will through the painful moments of life.