James 1:1–15 (NKJV)
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials? Blessed is the man who endures temptation? Not too many Christians consider it a joyous occasion whenever trials come into their lives. Not too many Christians consider it a blessing when they endure temptation. On the contrary we poor, miserable sinners are very often overcome and frustrated by temptation and beaten down by trials. We crumble under the pressure of dealing day in and day out with our sinful nature that seems way too often to win the day and do us in. And when we are overcome in those ways, we tend to forget to pray and ask in faith that God in His mercy would strengthen us, bolster us, and help us against temptation and defeat. For that we must repent.
However, when we do pray, we do so in faith. We pray trusting that Christ will answer and deliver. We do not pray doubting. We do not say, “God, if You’re there and if You can do anything about this, that would be great.” No; that, as James says, is being “double-minded” and “unstable.” Praying that way will get us nowhere; we will receive nothing from the Lord—nothing except rebuke.
No, dear fellow redeemed, we may indeed consider it a blessing to endure temptation and experience trials, for we know that temptations and trials are allowed to come to us by our good and gracious God who knows us better than we know ourselves. He sends these things our way in order that we may come to Him for help and strength. He allows these things that we may trust in Him all the more and then praise Him for keeping His Word and promises to us. And then, when future trials and temptations come, we have even more confidence in Him who previously delivered us. And then we see the blessings of God’s providence all the more.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for being faithful in keeping all Your promises to us, and strengthen us all the more. Amen.
