Yesterday we kicked off a series called “Mirrors: The Book of James“. We are taking the next 8 weeks to take a good look at one of the most practical books in the bible. James says the bible is like a mirror in that when you look at it, it shows you who you really are. For more on that, you can check out the sermon and/or download the sermon manuscript: Mirrors: The Book of James – Part 1.
We opened the series with James 1.1-18 where James tells us our trials can be sources of joy in our lives. How? How can the circumstances where we experience the most anxiety, pain, anger, disappointment…be sources of joy? James says it is through those circumstances God refines our faith. In those moments of suffering and uncertainty, we have a choice: trust God or trust ourselves. When we choose to throw ourselves onto the mercy of God, that is where we grow into the people God is calling us to be. And these circumstances are more effective than almost anything else to draw us closer to God. So James’ logic goes: Because trials have such power to deepen our relationship with God himself, we should rejoice in them!
Our homework for yesterday was a simple but profound exercise. Identify your biggest trial right now and consider this question:
How is your biggest trial right now a gift?
By that we mean, how could this trial draw you closer to God himself? So this week we are identifying a big trial in our lives and then asking God for wisdom to see how we could rejoice in it. How could it be the key for you to draw closer to God?
I hope you will join us each week as we seek to study and apply the many great truths in the book of James together!