Bitter or Better: The choice is ours
Book of James • Sermon • Submitted
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1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Consider it / know that
Consider it - I want you to step back and think properly.
The key to getting better and not bitter in our trials is how you think.
Catastrophize: to imagine the worst possible outcome of an action or event : to think about a situation or event as being a catastrophe or having a potentially catastrophic outcome.
I will never be able to… (fill in your blank) - Talk with Brian.
The most important thing when all hell is breaking loose is how we think. Because how I think will impact how I feel, and more importantly what I will do.
1. When all hell breaks loose, how we think is more important than how we feel.
I can’t control my feelings sometimes but I can control my thoughts.
My feelings can be all over the page. When I am in my storm it does not feel very good.
Ill: Our feelings are like the smoke alarm in the kitchen. It makes the same sound if you are burning toast or there is a fire in the house. Same with your mind.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
You can consider it pure joy not feel joy because of what you know. That God is in it.
The testing of your faith produces perseverance / endurance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Let or allow.
2. We can’t grow better if we squirm out halfway through the process.
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
3. Ask for both wisdom in the trial and deliverance from the trial.
When going through our tough season we always ask for the deliverance but seldom do we ask for the wisdom.
It’s okay to ask for deliverance from your circumstance. Jesus ask three times that Father God is there another way than the cross. The answer was no. Jesus add not my will but your will be done.
When I am going through a trial or a hard time I pray get me out of this but God what is it you are trying to teach me.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
4. If we’re not going to listen don’t bother to ask.
Before asking for wisdom decide in your heart that you will do what he tells you to do.
If you are going to ask for deliverance and you are going to ask for wisdom. Then listen to His wisdom and do what he says.
We can not avoid life’s troubles but we can choose how we respond.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.