Celebrate Your Trials Part 1

Celebrate Your Trials

This lesson is about handling the trials of life. In times of adversity, Christians can delight in God’s goodness and have joyful confidence in the outcome of their trials.

This lesson is important because trials are a part of life and experiencing them is neither easy nor pleasant. However, looking at our trials through a biblical lens gives us reason to celebrate.

Joy Is Possible

James 1:2-4 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

 ² Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

We can find joy in trials when we understand the purpose behind them.

James was not just spinning a theory when he wrote the testing of your faith produces endurance. “Knowing” indicates something James learned from personal experience. James had faced persecutions and had learned to remain faithful when going through difficulties. Endurance means patience, steadfastness, or fortitude. 
Endurance itself is not the ultimate goal. Endurance enables us to become mature and complete. Crumbling under trials cripples spiritual growth. Mature and complete indicate being fully developed in character and spiritual insight. God wants us increasingly to think, act, and react as did Jesus. Jesus experienced trials of temptation, misunderstanding, fatigue, and discouragement.
Since trials are part of the process that leads to spiritual growth, trials are indeed a reason for celebration.   

Wisdom Is Available

James 1:5-11 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.
    ⁹ The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation; ¹⁰ but the one who is rich [should boast] in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. ¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.

The followers of Christ never have to wonder if God will give them wisdom when they ask for it.

James words in this section are addressed to the one who lacks wisdom. God will give us wisdom to work our way through trials in ways that are beneficial for all concerned. “Ask” is in the present tense, and carries the idea of “keep on asking.” In other words, we receive wisdom for facing life’s trials by regularly asking God for it.  
The promise it will be given to him guarantees that God will answer our prayers for wisdom.
James gave counsel about how to face two kinds of financial trials – poverty and wealth. To be in humble circumstances is to be poor or to have a low social standing. People who struggle to meet daily needs can fall victim to anxiety, fatigue, depression, bitterness, and resentment. James thus encouraged poor believers to meet the trial of poverty by boasting in their exaltation. Poor believers are to focus on the exaltation they have in Christ.
Is wealth a trial? Actually it can be a greater trial than poverty. The test of faith for the rich is whether they will trust their wealth or God.

Being wealthy can lead us to adopt an attitude of self-sufficiency and superiority.