James 1:2-8 - The Working of Faith and Wisdom
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
--James 1:2-8 NASB
Have you ever felt that God was messing with you? Have you thought that God was “pushing your buttons?” Maybe a conversation takes an unexpected turn. Perhaps events do not go the way that you expect or hope. If so, it may be that God is testing you in order to see how you respond. In verse 2 the Greek word is transliterated as “peirasmos,” meaning an experiment, a trial, or a temptation.
And what is our response to these trials? Well, for most of us the response is probably a negative one, expressed in anger, sadness, frustration, or in other ways. What should our response be? According to this passage, we are to rejoice. Each challenge that we face should be a joy; a delight (the Greek “chara”).
We should allow God’s testing or proofing (the Greek “dokimion”) of our faith to produce endurance. The Greek word is “hupomoné,” meaning one who is patient and remains after others have given up and moved on.
We are the clay on God’s spinning pottery wheel. And the repeated cycle of God’s trial and our endurance is what completes us (the Greek “holokléros”) and perfects us (the Greek “teleios”).
Even so, we may at times find ourselves lacking—the Greek word “leipó,” meaning lacking, destitute, or in need. We may be in need of wisdom—the Greek “sophia,” meaning skill or wisdom.
Verse 5 tells us that if we ask for wisdom, God will give to us generously (the Greek “haplós”). But the key to our receiving is that we not doubt what God gives to us. In verse 6, the Greek word is “diakrinó,” meaning to distinguish or judge or contend. When we try to over analyze or second guess the wisdom that God gives us, we loose the child-like faith that God wants us to have. Imagine if a pottery vessel that was being formed by the potter was to question everything that the potter did. The result would be that the potter would never be able to create the specific vessel that he needed. By not accepting how God shapes us and what God tells us, we become useless as His instruments. Not only are we useless to God, but we are useless to ourselves. Our ship of life becomes unanchored, we are driven by the winds (the Greek “anemizó”) and every wave tosses us about (the Greek “rhipizó”).
In the end, we are far better off to work with God than to work against Him. His design and a purpose for us is far better than anything that we could come up with on our own.
Father, help me to rejoice when things do not go the way I expect. Remind me that You are always working to perfect and complete me. Help me to yield to Your touch and to endure Your work. And when I need wisdom, help me to accept it with child-like faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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--James 1:2-8 NASB
Have you ever felt that God was messing with you? Have you thought that God was “pushing your buttons?” Maybe a conversation takes an unexpected turn. Perhaps events do not go the way that you expect or hope. If so, it may be that God is testing you in order to see how you respond. In verse 2 the Greek word is transliterated as “peirasmos,” meaning an experiment, a trial, or a temptation.
And what is our response to these trials? Well, for most of us the response is probably a negative one, expressed in anger, sadness, frustration, or in other ways. What should our response be? According to this passage, we are to rejoice. Each challenge that we face should be a joy; a delight (the Greek “chara”).
We should allow God’s testing or proofing (the Greek “dokimion”) of our faith to produce endurance. The Greek word is “hupomoné,” meaning one who is patient and remains after others have given up and moved on.
We are the clay on God’s spinning pottery wheel. And the repeated cycle of God’s trial and our endurance is what completes us (the Greek “holokléros”) and perfects us (the Greek “teleios”).
Even so, we may at times find ourselves lacking—the Greek word “leipó,” meaning lacking, destitute, or in need. We may be in need of wisdom—the Greek “sophia,” meaning skill or wisdom.
Verse 5 tells us that if we ask for wisdom, God will give to us generously (the Greek “haplós”). But the key to our receiving is that we not doubt what God gives to us. In verse 6, the Greek word is “diakrinó,” meaning to distinguish or judge or contend. When we try to over analyze or second guess the wisdom that God gives us, we loose the child-like faith that God wants us to have. Imagine if a pottery vessel that was being formed by the potter was to question everything that the potter did. The result would be that the potter would never be able to create the specific vessel that he needed. By not accepting how God shapes us and what God tells us, we become useless as His instruments. Not only are we useless to God, but we are useless to ourselves. Our ship of life becomes unanchored, we are driven by the winds (the Greek “anemizó”) and every wave tosses us about (the Greek “rhipizó”).
In the end, we are far better off to work with God than to work against Him. His design and a purpose for us is far better than anything that we could come up with on our own.
Father, help me to rejoice when things do not go the way I expect. Remind me that You are always working to perfect and complete me. Help me to yield to Your touch and to endure Your work. And when I need wisdom, help me to accept it with child-like faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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