Focal Passage: James 1:1-12
Everyone hates them, but everyone has them — hard times. But why is it that when the grass is green, and all is well that we learn little about God and ourselves?
We seem to learn more about life when we go through difficult times than we do when all is well. God has a way of using hard times to mold and shape us into the people He wants us to be. Hard times are God’s sandpaper to smooth off our rough edges.
James, the half-brother of Jesus and pastor of the first megachurch located in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41; 4:4), wrote eloquently but truthfully about suffering, trials and tribulations. What did this faithful, local church, Spirit-inspired pastor say about hard times?
The joy of hard times, James 1:2. Hard times are to be embraced with joy. Not the kind of joy that is giddy and silly, but the kind of joy that knows the satisfaction of direction and purpose. Jesus endured the joy of the cross (Hebrews 12:2) even though He knew it would be excruciating and horrible.
What the cross accomplished expressed the kind of joy in the heart of Jesus as the joy of being in the center of God’s will. We, too, can embrace hard times with joy if we know we’re in the center of God’s will, no matter how hard the times are.
Shrum
The product of hard times, James 1:3-4. Hard times are not wasted times; they can produce worthwhile lessons. When our faith in God is tested faithfulness and spiritual maturity can be the outcomes if we trust God throughout the hard times.
If we “grit our teeth” and simply wait out hard times we are wasting our suffering; we may be missing God’s plan of maturing us into a strong and faithful believer. Suffering is the schoolhouse of the spiritually mature. Suffering is not a wedge between us and God; it is a lever that causes us to lean into God more and more.
The wisdom for hard times, vv. 5-8. Wisdom is needed for hard times. Mistakes can be made during difficult seasons of life. This is why we need to ask God for wisdom and guidance as we navigate seasons of suffering and sorrow. We are to ask God for wisdom by faith, believing that He will give us every resource we need. A divided, doubting mind is useless during hard times. Asking God for wisdom and a strong faith is essential.
The equality of hard times, vv. 9-11. But who suffers? Is it just the lowly and insignificant? No! Troubles and trials are “equal opportunity employers,” so to speak. Both rich and poor suffer. Further, being well-to-do is no safeguard against suffering. All people suffer.
Suffering reminds the poor man that God will be with him; suffering reminds the rich man that wealth is no protection against suffering. What matters most, whether rich or poor, is that God must be at the center of our hard times.
The reward of hard times, v. 12. Can anything good come out of hard times? Yes. As we remain faithful during hard times God has promised to the faithful the “crown of life.”
The crown James speaks of is ultimately eternal life. While on earth we enjoy “internal life” (the new birth, John 3:3) and we have the hope of “eternal life” put in our hearts. But when this life is over and there are no more hard times we will fully enjoy eternal life, the crown of life. B&R
