The Virtuous Life – Day 206 – James 1-2-8 – Ask Our Generous God – Growing As Disciples
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:2-8 (NLT)
Be Filled With Joy
If I need anything, I need wisdom. Why do you say that? On my own, I am not wise. I make dumb mistakes. I make foolish decisions. I take missteps from which I must stop, go back, and retrace my steps and start over. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought, or spoken, or acted unwisely. My foolish ways have cost me time, wasted resources, and worn me out. At no time do I need your wisdom more than when I am going through trials. On those occasions, I need to cry out to you in prayer to ask you for wisdom. Maybe that is one of the blessings of going through trials. How so? Trials show you that you need wisdom, Trials cause you to ask for my help. Trials make you come to rely on me. If you never went through trials or if you never needed my help, would you cry out to me and ask for my help? Let me ask you another question. I’m listening. When has your faith grown stronger? Has your faith grown stronger when the water is calm, and everything is smooth sailing or has your faith grown stronger in the storms of life when you have taken refuge in me? My faith has grown stronger when I have been forced to take refuge in you. Then maybe, you should consider giving thanks for the trails have come your way. I could ask you a few more questions. Go ahead. Has your endurance, as one of my followers, strengthened as you have gone through trials in life? Have you developed a more intimate relationship with me as you have suffered trials? Has your prayer life grown deeper as you have prayed faith filled prayers when storms swirled all around you? Have you learned to hold on to me more tightly as you have gone through all the twists and turns and ups and downs of life? Yes, my endurance has strengthened, my relationship with you become more intimate, my prayer life grown deeper and my hold on you stronger as I have gone through trials in life. Then, for that rejoice. Then, for that give thanks. Then, for that be filled with joy for how trails have performed a good work in your life. That I will do. That will be very good. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
Heavenly Father, there is no doubt, I need your wisdom, especially when I am going through trials in life. I will, with a heart filled with faith, cry out to you for help. I will rely on you to give me wisdom, grow my faith, and strengthen my endurance as I follow you. Amen
Key Question… What wisdom has God generously given to you when you asked Him for His help?
Living It Out… Rely on your Heavenly Father to give you wisdom, grow your faith, and strengthen your endurance as you pray to Him.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that your Heavenly Father will generously give you wisdom as you faithfully ask Him for it.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your Heavenly Father has given you wisdom in the trials of life.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you ask God for wisdom as you go through trials in life.
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