What To Do When You Are Troubled
Find hope in trials with James 1:2-4. See how God uses hard times to build faith, endurance, and maturity in your life.
Do you have any trials or troubles in your life right now? Chances are you do! Did you know God has a blueprint for handling any trial and coming through it better than you were before? It’s true! Let’s see how to handle trials God’s way.
I am not a drama queen. I try to avoid stress and strain in life. However, sometimes it finds me. We have all had trouble of one sort or another. God calls them trials. The Bible is very clear about how to handle trials and navigate them effectively. Today, let’s talk about walking through tough times God’s way.
God promises that if we go through a trial His way, we will not only get through it but come out better and more mature, more complete than before the trial. What a promise!
Doesn’t that make you want to know what God has to say about handling the trials, big or small, in your life right now?
Trials Are Like Pumpkins- They Come In All Shapes And Sizes
I like the pumpkin picture above. It reminds me that, just like all the pumpkins in the image, trials come in all shapes and sizes. To find the truth about handling trials, we must turn to the book of James.
James 1:2 says…
Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials.
In the book of James, God says that in this life, we will have trouble. It’s as certain as certain can be! Troubles and trials will not raise their heads just once; we will face them in various areas of life throughout our lives. However, these trials can have a very positive outcome if we work with God to overcome them.
God’s Purpose For Our Trials
God can give trials a purpose.
The purpose is often so hard to see while we are in the middle of a trial. And God understands that. A trial may be sad and upsetting, small and annoying, or huge and life-altering.
Listen, friend! God does not mean for us to be joyful about our sorrow or pain. He is a God of compassion, mercy, and love. He feels our hurts and wants to comfort us. But here is what we are supposed to take joy in…
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, And let endurance have it’s perfect result that you may be perfect, complete lacking nothing. James 1:3-4
A Fifth Grade Example
Before I taught first grade, I taught fifth grade for a few years.
My greatest joy was seeing a child master a skill that once seemed impossible. I adored those light bulb moments and the look on my students’ faces when everything clicked!
Part of my job was testing children on what they had learned. The grade was an indicator for me, my students, and their parents. It showed us how well each child had mastered the skill set being tested.
A Faith Test
The trials we face in our lives are tests too! They are indicators. They show us something so important. But what are trials testing?
knowing that the testing of our FAITH-James 1:3
Trials test our faith. I hope you are having a lightbulb moment right now! God already knows all about our faith, or lack of it. There is no surprise for Him! He knows exactly what we believe and in whom we believe.
The trials we go through reveal our faith. How we act and react to a trial gives us a pretty good indicator of what our faith is in and how much faith we have.
Are you going through a difficult time right now? What would your faith grade be? This is a grade we should all know.
Endurance And Faith
Here is what else a trial does…it produces endurance.
I swim for exercise. Actually, I take an aquatic aerobics class three times a week. It builds endurance. I have so much more strength and stamina than when I first started. If I miss even a couple of classes, I feel like I’m back at square one!
Trials, if we go through them God’s way, will build faith and endurance.
We need to trust God and continually look to Him for the right path to take in our trials, not wavering to one side or another.
And if we pray and ask for His wisdom and prudence (moral fortitude, insight, and understanding), we will build up our faith muscle. Trials also build a history of how God has worked in our lives, allowing us to look back and trust Him more.
The Flip Side To A Trial
There is a flip side to a trial, too.
Each time we face a trial and try to muddle through on our own, it weakens our faith. This is not what God wants for us!
The Two Effects Of Trials
The trials in our lives can have two effects:
They can break us down or make us complete. The Greek word complete means mature or perfect. Mature in our faith, perfect as we look more and more like Christ Himself.
I think being mature in faith and more Christ-like is a pretty good outcome for trials. Knowing that as we go through a trial, we will be more mature and Christ-like is where we can find joy.
Joy is not found in the trial, but in the outcome God promises us.
Let’s Review
There is still more to find joy about, but we will cover that next week. The teacher in me says, “Let’s review what we have learned so far!”
- We will all go through trials. Know this for a fact. Trials will hit us in various areas of life.
- There IS something joyful we can count on even in the worst trial.
- God is not saying we must be happy about the devastation of a trial. He is a compassionate God!
- A trial is a test that shows us our faith in God. How we react gives us a good indicator of our faith.
- Going through a trial God’s way will build enduring faith and help us better weather the next trial.
- As we endure, we become more mature in faith and more Christ-like.
There is much more to learn about trials and navigating them. We will discuss this further next week.
Learning James 1: 2-4
Read James 1:2-4. Read it three times a day. Try to memorize it.
Knowing the WHY of a trial is very valuable. I want you to pass the faith test with flying colors! I won’t be checking your homework, though; that’s between you and God.
Scripture To Ponder
The Bible says…
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Happy Sunday, friend…
Yvonne, I feel this post is for me today! Our 31 year old son was just diagnosed with a very rare blood disease and we are now waiting on bone marrow biopsy results to make sure nothing else is going in. This, all in the midst of he and his wife losing their jobs and the great hopes of adopting a four month old baby girl that they have fostered since birth. I so need to memorize this passage and allow God to strengthen our family during this time! You will never know how much I needed these words today! Blessings!
Oh Cathy! I am praying for you and your family! My heart goes out to you! I pray that God shows Himself BIG in every situation and you can see HIS working in BIG BIG ways. My you cling to Him and be blessed even in this time. I will continue to pray for all of you! xo
Yvonne, thanks so much for your prayers and encouraging words—we are trusting in our Heavenly Father as we know He is so very faithful and loves our son, Matt, more than we could ever imagine. We live in IN and they reside in PA, so distance makes it a bit harder as we wish we could be with them right now! But, we will continue to lean on Him and, as you so beautifully said, “There is something joyful that we can count on, even in the worst trial”! Again, your post has strengthened and encouraged me today in ways you will never know. I’m sending you a big virtual hug today!
I’m sending one right back! xo
Yvonne, I really enjoy your Sunday posts on God and Faith. I read every one!
I will be doing the homework this week: James 1: 2-4.
Desiree
Thank you. Needed this, sister.
Hi, Yvonne! What a beautiful message today!! My pastor preached on the same thing this morning. I love that u profess ur faith so openly.
Your former first grader, Cara Stoner, is now the mother of three, Kaiden, 14, Presley, 10, Tatum, 9. (Boy, girl, boy) and also a third grade teacher in Coatesville, at Kings Hwy…19 years, most of them at Friendship.
I have been enjoying retirement since 2010, putting in 35 years in education, which I truly loved everyday. Take care and continue your witness. Sending hugs!!!!
Oh, Patty! How absolutely wonderful to hear from you!!!! And to know about Cara (my favorite student, but don’t tell the others) made my day!!! I bet she is the best mommy and a fabulous teacher. Give her a big hug from me! xo to all!
This came at a perfect time. I needed this today and am so grateful for your message. Happy Sunday …
Thank you for your words of love and compassion you post every Sunday.
You bring us back to THE priorities we so desperately need and crave.
2020 has been a trial for most of us. Thank you for your Sundays of faith.
Mic
Great words of faith! I appreciate your posts on Sundays to keep us grounded and focused on God.
I didn’t know that you were a teacher…. no wonder (I am a teacher too) your blog is one of my favorites! Blessings on this beautiful day!
Thanks, Terry! God bless you!
Thank you so much for this encouraging word! I think everyone is going through stress right now, with all the chaos going on in our world. It’s easy to get discouraged and want to give up. I know that God has a plan in the midst of all this, and he is with us. Thanks for the reminder of his faithfulness. God bless you!
Thank you so much Yvonne, this truly is a trying time for all. I try to remember this to shall pass but sometimes so very hard to do. So I thank you for all your words of faith. I really look forward to reading your blog on Sundays so encouraging for the week ahead.
Thank you
Terri
Thank you! I am having a difficult time trying to decide if it is time for me to give up my Real Estate career and focus on my passion? Art, decorating , gardening and my beautiful family!
I think you helped me with my decision! ❤️??
Hi Yvonne , what a perfectly timed message for these difficult times we are all living in . I live in Melbourne where we have been enduring one of the longest , if not the longest and harshest lockdown anywhere in the world . Our state government is anti god , corrupt and incompetent to add to all of this . My home , that I love started to feel like a prison and I cried out to God to change my thoughts . He showed me a vision of Noah’s Ark riding high on the flood waters and spoke to me from the story in Genesis , chapters 6 to 8 , that spoke perfectly of the times that we are also in . I am divinely protected , covered over by His divine protection as I continue my journey of faith , high above the flood waters . What a beautiful Lord we serve who is always faithful towards us even when our own faith can waver !
Lovely post, Yvonne! Thank you for being! We are in God’s caring hands and heart, and you are so right. We should remember that it is so important to pray often for our country and for our own needs. Let us remember to pray to adore, give thanks, for forgiveness, for others, and to ask for favors. Your post is very uplifting and inspiring. May God bless you!
Thanks Yvonne, such a great message for all of us!!??❣️
My loved ones and I are going through a trial right now. God sent you to me with his message. He has good timing. Thank you.
Praise His love for us!
Thank you Yvonne–I needed to hear these promises The Lord gives us today! Blessings to you!
I wonder if many are going through very difficult times so that we will be more mature in our faith for what is yet to come. That’s what I’m praying the effect will be in our family. Good reminders today. Thank you.
I loved your story of teaching fifth graders! I was a teachers aide for fifth graders, way back when. I loved those children and had the experience of seeing that light bulb on go!! It was rewarding and satisfying. I hope God experiences that joy when he sees our “light bulb” go on when we grasp the truth of his love!!
Amen, Pat!
Yvonne
Wow this weeks message is exactly what I needed. As I’ve been recovering from a horrific cancer surgery, my faith has been tested. At my breaking point, I finally surrendered to God. I stopped trying to control my healing and turned it over to him. At that point I was at peace. I’d like to add a link to my Healing Journal to your post. I feel many of my readers would love your message. I appreciate your weekly messages.
Thank you for this! Trials are the refining fire of faith. I have found that a trial brings peace when I surrender my need to control it to the LORD..
Suzanne
You have the right idea, Suzanne. Surrender to God- what a magnificent thought!
Your message is what I needed today. I have been suffering for almost 4 years with what initially was thought to be a bad UTI. Wrong. I am in pain almost e dry day – some worse than others. I keep hoping someone will find an answer to what is wrong, but so far it’s a far off wish. Thankfully I have God to be with me everyday. What would I do without Him.
In our best, worst and every day in between God is with us. I pray you find an answer to your health problem, Jackie! God bless you!