James 1:3,4
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
We already know that James was inspired by the Holy Spirit to instruct us to react to our trials with joy. We are to be glad we are being tempted, or tried, rather than sad or upset over them. Why?
The simple answer is that we need to consider trials not from our standpoint, but from God’s standpoint. Of course, that is usually where we fail in most areas, when we fail to consider things from God’s viewpoint.
The trying of our faith “worketh patience.” We have all heard the old saying about being careful about praying for God to give us patience I am sure. Why is that? Because He won’t just give it to us; He will teach it to us.
“Let patience have her perfect work.” In other words, go with the flow so to speak. We need not fight, resist or rebel against the trial in our lives. Remember counting it all joy?
Now we come to the why part of things. We are given trials, in some cases, so that we may become “perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Does this mean that we will become the picture of sinless perfection or be given all of the things we want. Well, I am afraid not.
That simply means that our trials will cause us to become mature in our Christian lives. To be perfect and entire here means simply we will become more grown up Christians, more suited to the work God wants us to do.
Specifically what type of things might God be trying to accomplish in our lives? Stay tuned and see.
Truth in Palmyra 
September 23, 2016 at 07:39
Your post triggered a thought in me, so this is not a reflection on what you just wrote. In my studies of election and limited atonement, my path took me down teachings on God’s sovereignty. It is sad that some will take verses such as James 1:3-4 and turn it around to say, “God did something evil to me to teach me a lesson or to bring Him glory.” I was talking to a man who actually said that God gave him cancer to teach him a lesson. In my mind I could picture satan snickering under his breath and saying, “Yep, done hooked me another one.”
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September 23, 2016 at 08:00
Interesting Patrick, and it raises some questions. Why did that man get cancer? Well, I personally doubt God gave it to him, but He certainly allowed it to happen.
It’s very complex, isn’t it?
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September 23, 2016 at 16:25
Not to sound smug, but I don’t think it is complicated at all. I hope you know that I’m not preaching at you, just offering an explanation.
I’m sure you would agree that sickness is not of God but is of the devil. All through the Gospels Jesus went about teaching, preaching and healing….teaching, preaching, and healing. He was doing the will of the Father.
So, for the Father to now place evil on someone, such as sickness, would mean He is working directly against not only His personal mission (carried out by Jesus,) but is also nullifying the blood sacrifice of Jesus. This would also mean that he is using satan to first place the bad stuff on people. He has therefore created a divided kingdom.
Remember when the Pharisees accused Jesus of being a devil because He was driving out devils? Jesus said, “A kingdom divided against itself will fall.”
Simply put, when I get to wondering if something is of God I stop and think on those things which are allowed in heaven. If they are not allowed in heaven, God is not the author of it.
As for God allowing it, we have to go back and look at the curse created by the fall of Adam and Eve. Prior to the fall, dominion was given to man. With the fall, dominion was turned over to satan. We see this in the testing of Jesus. (Matthew 4:8-9) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” It wouldn’t be a temptation if it wasn’t his to give.
There will come a day when God takes back the authority He gave man. Until then we will continue to see bad things happen and of course the earth travailing. And boy is it ever travailing.
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September 23, 2016 at 17:45
Patrick..you may preach at me anytime you like
🙂
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September 23, 2016 at 07:52
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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September 23, 2016 at 07:56
Thanks brother Vincent
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September 23, 2016 at 12:58
You’re very welcome Brother Wally 😊
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September 23, 2016 at 08:02
Thanks, Wally. This resonates with this old guy. We can react to trials by either becoming bitter or leaning more heavily on the Lord. I’ve done it both ways and the latter is definitely the way to go.
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September 23, 2016 at 08:23
It sure is Tom
It rather resonated with me as well because at the moment I am being stretched very tightly myself and need to remember there is likely a point to it all
Thanks
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September 23, 2016 at 09:01
it is hard and is not easy…but we are told time and time again—to look to God in all things—good and bad, painful and joyful–for God is found not only in the good, the joy and the happiness but He is there, even more so, in the hard and difficult, the misery and suffering…
and this is where those who are not believers or those who reside in the anger and sorrow keep wanting to point the finger of “if God is a God of Love and Omnipotent…then why the hurting, why the unfairness, why the suffering…”
and it is there Wally in your very words and the words of James, so led by the Holy Spirit, that because God IS in everything…then we may find our HOPE!!
The things of this world…those good and those bad, are all but temporary and they all point us back to Him—in our lack of knowledge and lack of true omnipotent knowledge, we cannot know, we cannot see how all things, All things, work together in God’s plan and God’s time—yes there is Evil very much busy and very much at work…working so very hard to counter the Benevolence of a Loving Creator…but the thing is…despite the dark one’s vain attempts to derail us, derailing our faith, our hope—he can’t, he never can—for his is a losing battle….for our is the Victory in Christ Jesus!
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September 23, 2016 at 09:30
Julie, you certainly have had plenty experience of late to endure the trials of life. You may want to incorporate your response in your own blog in the near future for those who may not follow Wally.
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September 23, 2016 at 09:33
Thank you Donald — that has come to mind this morning– even as I wrestle with a response to one who actually made a comment on my post this morning
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September 23, 2016 at 10:21
Julie, I actually read Wally’s post first
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September 23, 2016 at 10:29
Divine thoughts indeed 🙂
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September 23, 2016 at 11:35
That’s really a good idea, Don, it would be great writing!
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September 23, 2016 at 11:07
Amen Julie
I won’t add anything to that, except to say you are truly an example to us all of how this principle works
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September 23, 2016 at 11:38
I don’t know about that Wally, but there are moments of Divine clarity ….
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September 23, 2016 at 12:50
Well..that was one of them Julie, for sure.
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