Perhaps you have heard the saying “When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade”. This is biblical. James tells us that no matter what the trials may be on the outside (vs. 2-12) or the temptations on the inside (vs. 13-27). Through faith in Christ we can experience victory. The result of this victory is spiritual maturity. There are four essentials for victory in trials.

1 – A joyful attitude (vs. 2)

God tells us to expect trials. It is not “IF you fall into various testings”, but “WHEN you fall into various testings”. See also John 16:33; Acts 14:22 & 1 Peter 4:12.

The phrase “fall into” does not suggest a stupid accident. It can be translated as “encounter or come across”. A Christian should not manufacture trials. The Greek word translated “divers” means “various or multi-coloured”. The trials of life are not alike. God arranges and mixes the colours and experiences of life. The final product is a beautiful thing for His glory. If we live only for the present and forget the future, then trials will make us bitter and not better. Job had the right outlook when He said, “but He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold”. See Job 23:10.

So when the trials come, immediately give thanks to the Lord and adopt a joyful attitude. Do not pretend. Simply look at trials through the eyes of faith. Outlook determines outcome. To end with joy, begin with joy.

2 – An understanding mind (vs. 3)

What do Christians know that makes it easier to face trials and benefit from them?

• Faith is always tested. When God called Abraham to live by faith, He tested him in order to increase his faith. God always tests us to bring out the best. Satan tempts us to bring out the worst. The testing of our faith proves that we are truly born-again.
• Testing works for us and not against us. Paul said “And we know that all things work together for good”. See Romans 8:28 & 2 Corinthians 4:17.
• Trials rightly used, help us to mature. Immature people are always impatient. Mature people are patient and persistent. Impatience and unbelief usually go together, just as faith and patience do. See also Hebrews 6:12; 10:36 & Isaiah 28:16. God wants to make us patient because that is the key to every other blessing. The believer learns to wait on the Lord and not to run ahead of Him. Moses made this mistake and he ended up murdering a man and spending forty years with the sheep to learn patience. See Exodus 2:11. Studying the Bible will also help us to learn patience. See Romans 15:4

3 – A surrendered will (vs. 4, 9-11)

God cannot build our character without our cooperation. If we resist Him, then He chastens us into submission. God is not satisfied with a halfway job. God wants a perfect work. He wants a finished product that is mature and complete. God’s goal for our life is maturity.

It would be a tragedy to have children who remained little babies. Many Christians shelter themselves from the trials of life and as a result never grow up. God wants the “little children” to become “young men” and the “young men” to become “fathers”. See 1 John 2:12-14. The mature person does not argue with God’s will. Instead he accepts it willingly and obeys it joyfully. We need to do the will of God from our heart. See Ephesians 6:6. Jonah did not obey God from the heart and ended up as immature as he had been before God called him.

One difficult stage is weaning. Sometimes God has to wean His children from their childish toys and immature attitudes. David pictured this in Psalm 131:2. God uses trials to wean us and if we don’t surrender to Him, we will become even more immature. In verses 9-11, James applies this principle to two different kinds of Christians – the poor and the rich. When testing came to these Christians they let God have His way and they rejoice in the riches of Christ which cannot fade away. They had both surrendered their will to God. The material riches will fade away so they are not as important as the spiritual riches.

4 – A believing heart (vs. 5-8 & 12)

When we are going through God-ordained difficulties, what should we pray about? James gives the answer: ask God for wisdom. The Jews were great lovers of wisdom as the book of Proverbs shows. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. Why do we need wisdom when we are going through trials? For this reason: we need wisdom so we will not waste the opportunities God is giving us to mature.

James not only explained what to ask for (wisdom), but he also described how to ask. We are to ask in faith. The greatest enemy to answered prayer is unbelief. James compares the doubting believer to the waves of the sea – up one minute and down the next. He also calls him a “double-minded man”. Faith says “yes” but unbelief says “no”. It is “yes” one minute and then “no” the next. This kind of experience is evidence of immaturity. See Ephesians 4:14.

James closes with a beatitude; “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation”. See James 1:12. James started (vs. 2) and ended (vs. 12) with joy. The beatitude promises a crown to those who patiently endure trials. Paul often used athletic illustrations in his letters and James does so here. He is not saying that the believer is rewarded by enduring trials. He is saying that the believer is rewarded by enduring trials. Notice that the “crown of life” has been promised to those who love the Lord. Love is the spiritual force behind these four essentials needed for victory in trials. There can be no joyful attitude, understanding mind, surrendered will or believing heart without love for the Lord. The Christian loves God because God first loved. The Christian will be secure in God’s love which has been shown in Christ Jesus. See John 3:16.

Categories: James