Legend’s Reflection 5: Trials and Difficulties
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:2-5 NIV
One of the most difficult things to do in moments of trials and difficulties is to be joyful. First, we must understand that Joy isn’t some commodity that we can purchase with money. Happiness can probably be gotten that way but Joy that gives peace and beyond all understanding comes from God.
God wants us to be in a perpetual state of joy in ALL circumstances and situations. We wonder if God truly knows what he’s doing by making this request from us. Remember that he walked this earth like you and me in this body. He had his fair share of troubles, trials, and difficulties as well but he did not lose his joy.
His friend died. He was broke enough not to be able to afford to feed his church. The government harassed him for tax. He was hunted for arrest in multiple cities. He cried! We can go on and on about the many moments of difficulties that he had. It was important to note that even in the face of great difficulty, he didn’t lose his joy.
How else would you describe a man who would say ‘father forgive them for they know not what they are doing?’.
Greatness is not the absence of troubles, trials, and difficulties, it is maintaining your joy in the midst of them all. God is calling you on a journey of Greatness, take a ride with joy in your heart.
This passage of scripture helps us to understand more as to why Jesus was this way.
‘if any of you lack wisdom…’
Trials and difficulties are supposed to produce divine wisdom within us because every circumstance is supposed to come with its own wisdom and purpose. As Christians sometimes we are too fixated on the situation and how it makes us look and feel rather than what the purpose is and the wisdom in it for us.
This is necessary because these difficulties are meant to make us, shape us, mold us into formidable personalities.
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Our maturity is delayed when we take the wrong message from trials rather than seek the wisdom it offers, remain joyful despite physical evidence, and persevere.
It’s important to know this.
1. Joy is from God and it’s not meant for only when things are great.
2. Trials and difficulties are our making into formidable Christians or living.
3. There is a wisdom God wants us to have in every trial but when we don’t get it, we leave room for the trial to be persistent because the trial is meant to do something in us and until then, we leave the trial to fester.
4. It’s not God’s desire for us to lack anything but lack is one of the trials that keep us dependent on him.