Day 2: James 1:1-18 - Kite Flyers

Everyone knows that wind is necessary for flying kites...so are trials to a Christian.  Kites do not rise with the wind but rise against it...so it is with trials. The Christian cannot ascend to patience and maturity unless he ascends against trials. Would it surprise you to think that a Christian is defined by how faithfully the person faithfully and joyfully works through temptation or trial - not avoid it - read v.2 and v.3?   

If you had a child, would you want him or her to have a comfortable life or a life full of trials? What do you believe God wants for us? Your response here is your response to the Gospel. The sanctifying call of the Gospel is the invitation of Christ is to follow His descent through trial unto death and ascend to new life in Him - there is no other way.  James defines a happy and successful life that is counter to the American Dream: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial."  God re-created us by His word that we might display the "fruit" of the work of His son Jesus - fly the kite of the Gospel against wind of trials...and count it as joy v.2.  Avoiding or dreading the ambitious work of steadfastness under trial and temptation is to dishonor the purpose of our existence.  Therefore, roll-up your sleeves and step into the wind tunnel - experience the joy that only trial can produce through grace! Trust in Christ with everything you got and never ever lose heart!

Posted by Henry Jung on 6/2/2016

Comments

"...the testing of your faith devleops perseverance..." (vs. 3)
I always hated tests and this goes the same as seasons of testing from God. Verse 3 makes it quite clear that all believers WILL be tested; it's just a matter of how you will make it through. I tend to like the idea of crawling into my little hole and crying myself to sleep when seasons are hard, but verse 4 is an encouragement. It reads, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Mmm~ I will be made complete through the hardships, the trials, the refining, and the molding. God likes to make life all about the end product. It may be crappy now, but think about what will become of you at the end when it all makes it worth it. I think that's why 20/20 hindsight is so valuable. You get to see how God worked through it all. Ultimately, you get to see how God is glorified through your own life and the struggles and how much strength He gave to you to be able to walk through the fire. Amen.

Diana Lim on 6/2/2016 at 8:11 AM

trials = testing of your faith

In the moment, in the thick of the difficulties of life, it either perfects you or it destroys you. And we see those two different types of fruits in ourselves and people around us. The perfecting can only happen to the true believer, the one who fights to believe and throw themselves upon a heavenly perspective, that God does ALL things for the good of those who love Him... ALL things. And the destroying of the soul with embittering and self-pity is the fruit of a narrow, tunneled perspective of self. My family andI need so much grace for this. God help us to believe!

Robert Han on 6/2/2016 at 1:34 PM

Diana, how true the grace to be able to look back our failures and stare at it without shame...that we can grow and learn from our failures is a testimony to the cross.

Henry Jung on 6/3/2016 at 5:35 PM

Along the lines of what Diana said, it's also grace that we have the scales removed from our eyes to be able to look back on our failures and realize even more that on our own we were not worthy of God. How sad it is to live a whole life thinking that you yourself are righteous by your own merits!

Chris Moon on 6/3/2016 at 10:54 PM

What sticks with me is that James tells us to "count it ALL joy" when we face trials. In this context, there's no such thing as bittersweet. We are COMMANDED to see the trials that we face as ONLY reasons for joy. How counterintuitive. Only through these trials will our faith be tested so as to produce steadfastness, which will result in us being "perfect and complete." I get so stressed out with even the slightest inconvenience or frustration.... how I lack the faith and the perspective to see even those small "trials" for what they truly are... examples of God's love for us as he sanctifies us....

Jane Lee on 6/15/2016 at 11:03 PM