Standing Fast in the Midst of Trials (James 1:2-18)

In this devotional, we are going to go verse by verse through the first section of James chapter 1 and focus on the idea of standing firm in the midst of trials. Let’s dive into this passage and see what we can learn about suffering, about ourselves, and most importantly, what we can learn about God through James 1:2-18.

Verse 2: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”

James tells us that trials are not potentials or maybes…they are inevitable. “When you meet trials.” Not if, but when. We are to count everything as joy. Even the moments of trial and hardship. It is easy; expected almost to count blessings as joy. Who finds it hard to be joyful about a delicious meal, or an answered prayer request? I would hope the answer would be no one. Those things are easy to be joyful about. But we are called to be joyful specifically in the moments of trial. Why? Let's look at verses 3 and 4.

Verse 3-4: “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. So why are we called to find joy in the midst of these difficult moments? So that we may be steadfast and unwavering in our faith. It isn’t only the spiritual mountain tops that grow our faith, but trials also play an important role. In my experience, enduring trials have made my faith much stronger than the mountaintop experiences.

I remember going to church camp as a kid. During the week, we would have a worship service each night. As the week progressed, the services would become more and more emotional. Finally, it would be the last night of camp and we would have this emotional time of worship and a message, and at the very end the leader would do an altar call and invite us kids to really dedicate our lives to Jesus. I remember one year specifically, I was feeling so convicted that I hadn’t really been living for Jesus that I went to the leader and poured my heart out, and my eyes. That night I was convinced I would be on fire for the Lord for the rest of my life. It probably wasn’t even two weeks later, and I had already lost that fire and the desire to spend a lot of time with Jesus. 

I say this because while passion and excitement can be a great thing, it does not always last forever. There will be moments of hardship and trial, and we must rely on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to provide us with the strength to not only overcome them, but to find joy in them.

Furthermore, steadfast faith is not something that happens naturally. It must be practiced, tested, and tried. Picture a miner in a cave who is using his pickaxe to carve away at the rock in search of a diamond. When he finally finds that precious stone, he cannot simply take that raw stone and put it on a ring. He must first burn away the filth and the excess before using tools to shape and structure the stone. Once he has done all this, only then can the diamond fit into the mold he has created for the ring. If we are to have a faith that is steadfast and complete, we too must face and endure trials, so that we may be complete.

Or think of this as a muscle. How many here enjoy training your muscles and doing exercise? Without consistent training, not only will your muscles not grow, but they will eventually atrophy and shrink. When you are lifting weights, you are literally tearing down your muscles so that they may be rebuilt stronger than before. 

This is how we are to view this text. Without these trials and struggles that we face, our faith can not grow, nor can it become stronger like our muscles. Rather, without these moments that force us to rely solely on God, our faith will diminish over time and atrophy.

Verse 5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. At first glance, it may seem like the author is completely changing the subject from verses 3-4. However, there is definitely a sense of continuation, because trials bring a necessary season to seek wisdom from God. We often do not even realize that we need wisdom or discernment, or that we are not fully trusting God, until we are in those moments of tribulation. Moreover, we are to ask of… God. He is the ultimate source of wisdom, and he gives it generously without reproach. Reproach here means without insult or mocking.

Charles Spurgeon an incredible theologian and preacher in the 1800s He once said: “We are all so ready to go to books, to go to men, to go to ceremonies, to go to anything except God…Consequently, the text does not say, ‘Let him ask books’, nor ‘ask priests’, but ‘Let him ask God. ' To whom or where are you going for wisdom? Are you going to God and asking him for wisdom, or are you seeking it elsewhere? So all we need to do to receive wisdom is ask, right? Well, there’s a little more to it than that. Let’s take a look at verses 6-8.

Verse 6-8: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. It is not simply a matter of asking for wisdom- we must ask in faith. Not only must one come in faith to God, but one must also ask in faith. Spurgeon says on this matter: “You know, dear friends, there is a way of praying for nothing, and get it.” This is an excellent summary of what James is trying to say in verses 6-8. Without the faith that God can actually grant you the very request you have come before him to make, you can expect to get nothing. James further emphasizes the idea that it makes absolutely no sense to ask God for wisdom while doubting that He can answer your prayers, when he says they are like a wave that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

This wave analogy is a fitting representation of the doubter. A wave of the sea is unstable, and so is the doubter (as James mentions here in verse 8). A wave of the sea is without rest, and so is the doubter. A wave of the sea is capable of great destruction, and so is the doubter. Let us not be doubters, but have assurance and faith that the God we serve is capable of giving us joy in the midst of trials, and wisdom to navigate them. 

Verse 9-11: “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”

Here James is making a very bold claim. He is stating that as much as it is appropriate for the lowly to rejoice when they are lifted up by God, so also it is appropriate (although far more difficult) for the rich to rejoice when they are brought to humiliation by trials. American theologian Richard Lenski writes on this saying: “As the poor brother forgets all his earthly poverty, so the rich brother forgets all his earthly riches. By faith in Christ the two are equals.”

In these verses, James is reminding us that earthly power and riches are not the answer to our trials and struggles. Any confidence we have in wealth instead of God is not only misplaced, but doomed altogether. Wealth is fleeting, and so is the stability it offers. As the flowers and the grass in verses 10 and 11, wealth and riches will fade away and will not be solid ground on which to plant your feet in the midst of trials.

Verse 12: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him”. Trials in and of themselves are not blessings, but overcoming them brings blessings upon the one who endures. Two promises are made to those who faithfully endure their trials. The first is an inner reward of blessedness. 

Blessed is the same term used repeatedly in the beatitudes in Matthew 5. The word Blessed describes an inner quality of joy resting in God and an unaffectedness by external events. When we overcome temptation and hardship, we will not only become less and less affected by external circumstances, but we will become joyful in resting in God. This is exactly what James is saying in verse 2. Count it all joy, my brothers, because you have yet another opportunity to rest in God. 

The second promise is that we will receive the crown of life. Crown did not refer to the ornament of a ruler, but a garland or wreath given to the victor in an athletic contest. God’s reward for faithfully enduring trials is not a position of authority or royalty over others, but recognition from God for our spiritual victory. The crown is not a physical object but a spiritual privilege which gives a deeper, fuller life on earth, and an unending, joyous life in the world to come.

This leads me to my next point in verse 12: Trials prepare us for our eternal dwelling, and help us let go of the fleeting pleasures this world has to offer. As followers of Christ, we are to be constantly preparing for our heavenly and eternal dwelling. It should drive every aspect of our lives. Philippians 3:20-21 says: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Comfort and pleasure on this earth are not the goal. Hardships and suffering remind us of this and help us let go of this world’s grip on us, so we can be ready to meet our heavenly Father with joy and excitement. 

My grandfather was a missionary, church planter, and pastor in Brazil for over 50 years. He dedicated his life to serving the Lord and others all around the world. Just a couple of months before his 86th birthday, he was diagnosed with the cancer that would eventually take his life. In those last months, he underwent a tremendous amount of pain and suffering as the cancer had spread to his bones. When he was asked how he was doing, his response was “I feel as if I am weaning off of this world and am ready to go home”. Suffering is not a blessing, but Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life. 

Verse 13-16: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”Here we see an evident distinction between trials and temptations. You see, while God allows and might even send us trials to help us grow, mature, and become steadfast, temptations are not sent by God. 

In verse 13, James ensures there is no room to blame God for one’s temptations and sin. Temptation and sin are literally in opposition to God’s nature. We see this in the second half of verse 13. “For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” Rather, verses 14 and 15 show us that sin begins in the human heart. We can understand these verses as if we were fishing. By a show of hands, how many of us have gone fishing before? Great, so we should be able to understand this analogy. 

First, an openness to temptation develops from weakness in our fallen human hearts. Then, temptation develops and lures and entices us into sin. The word luring describes the act of luring fish from their hiding places. The second word, enticing, gives us an image of enticing a fish with a juicy worm on a hook.  Evil desire is then the bait that hooks the human being. 

Brothers and sisters, WE are to blame for our sin. You and I. Scripture does not allow us to blame God, the devil, our family lineage, our environment, or anyone else for our sin. Our sin is our fault, and ours alone. Trials can lead us to true dependence and trust in God, or they can cause us to turn our backs on Him and embrace the temptations that often result from our struggles. Temptations to be consumed with rage, a desire for revenge, or even a blatant accusation that it is all God’s fault. Trials and tribulations are opportunities to either run to Christ or to flee from him. 

In verse 15, we see yet another analogy being used to help us better understand the progression of Sin. Here James uses the image of childbirth to trace the development of evil desire. A conception occurs when someone surrenders their will over to lust. The conception then produces a child called sin. When sin becomes full grown, it produces death. Notice the stark contrast between the one who remains steadfast under trial and the one who allows sin to grow and develop. Verse 12 says that the one who has stood the test will receive the crown of life, while the one who allows desire to fester and sin to grow will bring forth death. Sin is literally a matter of life and death. It is the difference between a spiritual full of life and fruit, and one that is dead and barren. 

Verses 16-18: “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

V. 16 has 2 potential applications. We can apply it to the verses before, or to the verses that follow. If we apply it to the verses 13-15, then we are to take it as a warning against excusing ourselves from our responsibility for sin. However, if we are to apply this warning to verses 17-18, then the warning is against a wrong view of God’s character. Either interpretation provides truth. 

Let's take a look at verses 17-18. Verse 17 says: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”Now that we know that God is not responsible for human sin from verses 13-15, we see now that God is, however, the source of all good. Every kind of good has its ultimate source in God. 

Moreover, God’s gifts are perfect because they fully meet the recipients' needs. His gifts include not only spiritual blessings, but also the many benefits that provide for the physical and emotional needs of human beings. And if that were not enough, we have a God who gave us the ultimate gift, the gift of salvation through his Son Jesus Christ, who died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. The second part of verse 17 tells us 3 truths about God. First, he is the Father of Lights; secondly, he is without variation; and thirdly, God does not undergo “any shadow of turning”. Let's unpack these together.

First, as the Father of the heavenly lights, God is the creator of the stars and the heavenly bodies. You see, James uses the language of astronomy to help us better understand God. Because when he gives us the second attribute of God: “with whom there is no variation”, this term variation or change was frequently used to describe the change in light intensity between the sun and the moon. The amount of sunlight we see depends entirely on the time of day. In the middle of the day, there is an abundance of light; by the time the sun sets, the light is much dimmer, and it disappears altogether during the night. 

This is not true of God. His character and the light of his truth remain constant and unchanging. Thirdly, God does not undergo any “shadow of turning”. This terminology also originates from astronomy, describing moving heavenly bodies that produce constantly changing shadows on earth. God’s purposes, however, do not have such variation or shifting. The movements of the sun, earth, and the clouds regularly cause changes in light and shadows throughout the day. Meanwhile, God’s character is always true, constant, unchanging, reliable, good, and faithful. 

Verse 18: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”“By his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.” James understood that the gift of salvation was given by God, and not earned or achieved by the work or obedience of man. It is of HIS OWN WILL that HE brought us forth for salvation. And how did he bring us into this new life? By the word of truth. John 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God.” It goes on to say in verse 4, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus Christ, the Word of truth, is the means by which we are brought to salvation. There is no other alternative; it is Him, the word of truth alone. And what is the result of this new life and salvation in Christ? “That we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” This is not just for the Jewish Christians James is writing to. This is true for you and me. Through Jesus Christ, you and I can become sons and daughters, heirs and firstfruits. What a gift we have received. 

Before I close, I want to remind us of the many truths we have looked at today and challenge you all to take these truths and hide them in your hearts. First, may we be humble like James, who ultimately desired to be identified as a servant and follower of Christ above all else, even when he had more excuse than most to exalt himself and claim status as the brother of Christ. Secondly, may we be encouraged to run into the open arms of Jesus when we face pain, suffering, hardship, and temptation, and find joy in his embrace during the storms. May we view these moments of trial as opportunities. Opportunities to grow stronger in our faith and grow closer to our Lord and Savior. Thirdly, let us remind ourselves that our earthly dwelling is merely temporary.

My friends, the time is coming when we will leave this world and go on to the next, and we must live this life with that in mind. Let us rejoice in the fact that the temporary pains and afflictions of this world are only making our heavenly home all the more inviting. We can celebrate that the things we are facing right now we will never have to face again, for all of eternity in heaven. 

Lastly, and most importantly, let us be reminded of the God we serve. We serve the author and giver of wisdom, we serve the one who gives the crown of life, the giver of every good gift, and most importantly, we serve a God who has chosen of His own will to bring us forth into salvation through his son Jesus Christ, who died, and rose to life on the third day, that we might be united with him for all of eternity. Amen?

---

Thanks for reading this month's blog post. If you're interested in learning more about Uncommon Sports Group or getting connected, click here.