When Our Faith is Tested – James 1:1-12

Last updated on: December 4, 2017 at 4:16 pm by Guest Contributor

When Our Faith is Tested – James 1:1-12 2017-12-04T16:16:50-04:00 Guest Contributor

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By Terrell Carter

Terrell Carter

Isn’t it easier to be a Christian when life is going well? When things are working as we have planned, and there is minimal stress in our lives, it is easy to say that God is good and is supplying our needs. The challenge comes when it does not seem like God is listening or responding to our requests.

The epistle attributed to James was written to a group of believers who were experiencing hardships in life. James wrote to encourage them to maintain their faith in God, even though they were experiencing tough times. This idea of experiencing and enduring trials sets the foundation for the entire letter.

In its simplest sense, a trial is anything that causes us to question God’s goodness and faithfulness. Trials try to get us to take our focus off God and God’s provision and place it on other things. Trials are the kryptonite of faith, sapping us of spiritual energy and making our faith vulnerable.

Trials come from many places. They come from decisions we have made or decisions that have been made for us. Sometimes, they seem to appear out of thin air. It is less important where they come from and more important how we deal with them. I think this is part of James’ point to his readers.

As much as we may despise them, trials are not all bad. They do hold a certain value for all of us. The primary value to trials is that our faith can be strengthened through them. Trials are part of a process that can lead to our faith becoming stronger. When we experience trials, we can trust God to work those things out for us. When we eventually see victory over them, our faith in God is strengthened.

That does not mean that trials are not difficult, or that they are not painful, or that we will not have difficulty enduring them. We likely will experience all those things as we face them. But, in the end, we will be reminded of God’s love for us. God is faithful, even when we cannot see the big picture of a trial. Inevitably, the blessing comes when we reach the other side of an uncomfortable situation and our faith is stronger than when we began.

I think that one of the things James is saying to his readers in James 1:1-12 is that, instead of withdrawing from God during challenging times, they could see tough times as an opportunity to get closer to the Holy One. Instead of ignoring God or simply complaining to God about their circumstances, they could ask God for wisdom on how to maintain, even when it was uncomfortable. They were to communicate with God in prayer to hear God speaking to them, reminding them that God was with them and that God would sustain them.

In doing this, in having this type of attitude where they would seek God instead of blaming God or only complaining, they and their faith would be made stronger. They would be able to endure trials and grow closer to God through them and in the end, which, in the end, would bring God glory. We have the same opportunity today.

Terrell Carter, D.Min., is assistant professor and director of contextualized learning at Central Seminary in Shawnee, Kan., and pastor of Webster Groves Baptist Church in Webster Groves, Mo.

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