James 1:1-8

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. ² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. ⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Last week, we began our series on the New Testament Letter of James by learning what is required to endure life’s trials. James writes to Jewish Christians in the early years of the Church’s existence who have been scattered throughout the ancient world because of persecution that broke out in Israel (Acts 8:3-4; 11:19; 12:1-2). They had lost their homes, ways of making a living, and their connection to their community via their local synagogues, all because of their faith in Jesus. These believers were faced with “divers temptations,” or trials of all sorts. He writes to them to encourage them and instruct them on what it takes to endure those trials in a way that honors God.

In the first eight verses of his letter, we can identify five things required for believers to endure trials of all types in any era. Last week, we identified two of those five. First, believers must have true joy. This joy is not rooted in circumstances, but in God, what He has promised, and what He works in our lives through trials. Secondly, we learned that believers need right knowledge. We need to know what God’s purposes for trials are and what He accomplishes through them. That way we can patiently endure and remain faithful to Him regardless of what comes our way in life. This week, we will learn three more.

In verse four James gives to us a third key to enduring trials. Believers need real patience. “Patience” comes from the Greek word hupomone which literally means “to remain under.” It is the idea of a weight pressing down on something. In this case, it speaks to the weight of a trial or difficulty in life pressing down on the believer. “Patience,” or perseverance/endurance, is the ability to “remain under” that trial and allow God to have His completed work through it. Ultimately, we learn in 1 Peter 5:6 that the weight is not really the trial but the “mighty hand of God” that is molding us into the image of His Son. With every trial, there is the inevitable temptation to quit, abandon ship, and get out from under it. While there are times when a change is needed (the believers he writes to had left their homeland because they were persecuted), we cannot handle the trial in such a way that dishonors God. To “remain under” is to face what we face in the way that God’s Word tells us to. It is not about keeping ourselves in a bad situation, but rather facing whatever situation comes our way with godly character, patience, and obedience. When we endure trials by remaining faithful to the Lord, He produces godly character in us.

What about if we don’t know what to do or how to face the trial? What if we don’t know God’s will? The simple response that James gives in verse five is to ask for wisdom. Trials require divine wisdom. We cannot approach trials in our own strength or we will fall flat on our face. Instead, we will need God’s wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge applied. It is the ability to use knowledge. The Bible is full of passages that address the value of wisdom and it tells us that wisdom comes from reverencing God (Proverbs 9:10-12). Here, James tells us that God desires to give us wisdom if we only ask. He gives it “liberally” and He doesn’t chastise us for asking for it. One of our greatest shortcomings is that we fail to go to God when we are in need. We “have not because” we “ask not” (James 4:2). He wants us to be dependent on Him. One of the purposes for trials is that they are allowed into our lives to make us more, not less, dependent upon God. Go to Him and ask for wisdom to face the trial. He will hear and answer our prayer.

In verses 6-8, James gives to us one condition for our asking and our approach to trials. Our asking must be done “in faith.” What does that mean? To ask “in faith” does not mean that we ask with a conjured-up belief or confidence that is akin to what faith healers use as requirement for people receiving (or not) healing. It is not having everything figured out and demanding something of God. Instead, to ask “in faith” means to ask with a sincere and pure motivation grounded in who He has revealed Himself to be in His Word. It is to ask for help with the motivation of honoring God and not selfishness. To waver (v. 6) is to be “double minded” (v. 8). The word literally means “dual-souled.” It describes someone who comes to God with duplicitous motives. They are asking for help, but not because they want to honor God with their lives. Instead, they are asking to prosper themselves.  James says that the person who asks in this way should not “think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” When we go to God with sinful motives, He tells us up front that He is not going to answer our prayer. Instead, our motivation as believers should be His honor and glory. James will expound on this a bit latter in James 4:3 which says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Prayer is about surrendering and submitting ourselves and aligning our will with God’s will. We must “ask in faith.”

How can we endure trials? On our own, we have no chance. However, if we draw on and walk in what God has provided us then we can faithfully endure all that life throws at us in a way that honors Him. We need true joy, right knowledge, real patience, divine wisdom, and genuine faith. Trials teach where to find our joy…in the Lord. Trials teach us to be dependent upon Him and they have a way of revealing the motives of our hearts. All of these are key to God conforming us to the image His Son Jesus. Will you let Him have His complete work in your life today? Whatever you are facing, surrender to His will under His hand. He is good and all that He brings into our lives is for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Will you trust Him?