Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

James 4:6, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The older I become, I realize more and more that I need God’s grace daily. I need His power overcoming my weaknesses. He has promised in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Despite anyone’s limitations, as we humbly seek God during these times, He will provide effective pathways for solutions. Due to His grace I need to camp on that word “sufficient” rather than focusing on insults, hardships, and difficulties.

What accomplishments have you enjoyed? Those were each given as a gift to you from God due to His grace. But successes are short-lived. Oh, they are the prize or award we aim for and long to achieve. The ego gets a shot of adrenaline when a goal is achieved and reached. However, pride can move in, cause an imbalance in our attitudes, and we feel entitled to receive more attention. As “Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” “Prayerlessness is the truest indicator of pride. Watch out, you may be about to fall.” Jon Courson.

The AMP version states James 4:6 this way, “But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD and HAUGHTY, BUT [continually] GIVES [the gift of] GRACE TO THE HUMBLE [who turn away from self-righteousness].” Self-righteousness is the basis for a prideful attitude. It creates greed.

Many other versions of James 4:6 state, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

• Proverbs 3:34, “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble, he gives favor.”
• 1 Peter 5:5, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
• James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Our character needs to reflect humility in our competence. My Grandma Helmers used to say, “Let other people brag on you rather than yourself.” I am thankful for her heritage of Christian living. She would also recite 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall” KJV. I remember that day vividly when she quoted this verse and gave it as a warning in a conversation about someone that was being discussed. I would have been in grade school at the time.

Having humility in one’s character does not mean being indecisive or not using one’s gifts and talents. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Paul gave it his all, as we need to do. Commit your work and endeavors to the Lord. Commit to high excellence and high character in your career, your family, and those in your sphere of influence. Then see how God provides the results. Note God’s faithfulness in supplying all your needs. Write them down and date them.

I want to be in the correct position to finish well. Having a prestigious position of power contrasts with being a servant of Jesus Christ. Your character will put you in place to advance the kingdom of Heaven. That is our identity in being a disciple of Jesus. That puts us in a position to receive grace from humility and then to receive what Matthew 23:8 declares, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Show love, compassion, and gentleness to someone you couldn’t before. How can you use the gift of the grace God has given you – the kindness from God you received, that you didn’t deserve? Let that peace and joy fill your thoughts with your position in Christ, and then share it with someone.

Listen to I Speak Jesus (Lyric Video) Charity Gayle. Feat. Steven Musso.

James 3:17-18, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

We all face unfulfilled expectations in life. We have our own standards and expect others to have the same values. When our values are ignored, it is detrimental to us. We then are let down. Maybe even offended. What causes you to be offended? What is bothering you right now in your relationships with others? Paul was mocked and criticized by many people. Jesus was more than anyone else falsely accused. Yet not once was anger or bitterness shown to the instigators. Jesus viewed them as ignorant and even said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34. Jesus prayed for His enemies. I need to remember that the next time I am “offended.”

The Greek word “Eirene” – (noun) peace, peaceable, peaceably, occurs in each book of the NT except I John and not in Acts 7:26 where Stephen refers to Moses, “And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them . . .” It describes harmonious relationships between men and nations. Then in James 3:17 the word is “Eirenikos” (adjective) which denotes peaceful. “It is used (a) of the fruit of righteousness, Heb. 12:11, “peaceable” (or ‘peaceful’) because it is produced in communion with God the Father, through His chastening; (b) of “the wisdom that is from above,” James 3:17” An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. W.E. Vine. This wisdom is learned and acquired by reading God’s Word, applying it, and staying in conversation with Him throughout the day.

Not being stubborn or obstinate is the meaning of “open to reason” in James 3:17. Listening skills are needed when our “peace index” has been threatened. It takes a mature person to know when to yield wisely, having mercy in your basket to give if an appeal is warranted. It is the wiser option to be humble and apply the wisdom David lived before his oldest brother Eliab, that blew up at David. He told David he was conceited (1 Sam. 17:28) and misjudged David’s intentions. Eliab’s false accusation against his brother David, was due to David being chosen by God to kill Goliath and not Eliab. David turned away and did not argue. He did not waste time in a futile interchange of discussion. He walked away from a fight with his brother and did not argue with him. David’s determination, courage, and faith in God’s power working through him, was not threatened. He kept the end goal before him. His heart’s purpose was to defeat a giant who was defying the armies of the living God and he did just that. That was God’s purpose for David and God had prepared him to do exactly what God wanted him to do at that time in his life.

Do you have someone you have difficulty getting along with in your sphere of influence? Someone that causes your “peace index” with people category to decline to a lower percentage? How can you protect yourself from being offended? Isn’t that the source of a depleted “peace index?” The answer lies in telling yourself every day:

• I am grateful for God’s forgiveness in my own life.
• I will start my day by thanking God for His forgiveness and for loving me.
• I will live this day by remembering God’s forgiveness for me.
• I will end my day by thanking God for his forgiveness.

 “I have this verse underlined (James 3:15-18) because it is the grid through which I can run any conversation, teaching, or any word of instruction. If there is envy and strife, tension and confusion in what I hear, then I know it’s from hell. But if there is purity and peace, righteousness and mercy in what I hear, I embrace it as being from the Lord.” Jon Courson’s Application Commentary New Testament.

This is the freedom in knowing the truth of God’s Word and it will set you free.

Listen to Mercy Me Then Christ Came (Lyric Video).

James 3:2, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

Don’t you hate it when you have said something and wish you could take it back and do a replay with editing voice options and word choices? It came out wrong and not the way you intended. Then it replays in your mind over and over. That is when I would like to hide in my verbal stumbling but can’t. James includes himself among those who stumble and yet refers to himself as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” in James 1:1.

 “The ancient Greek word translated stumble does not imply a fatal fall, but something that trips us up and hinders our spiritual progress.” David Guzik, Commentary. The enemy will play within our heads in condemning us, making us feel like we are a failure. But when we do, it is not fatal. A mistake is a mistake like tripping over your feet and breaking a piece of artwork or glassware. Or a football player who misses that catch, fumbles, and loses the game. Mistakes and regrets are all lessons to be learned from and give us wisdom in our character to better walk with the Lord, marked by less stumbling.

James makes a point about how small in size the tongue is and lists other similar examples: (1) Bits in horses’ mouths are small but are the tool to make them obey the rider; (2) Ships are large yet have a small rudder that is used to steer the right direction on the water. (3) Fires are set by a small spark. (4) the tongue is small but like a raging fire; uncontrolled can do significant damage. So, if we can bridle our tongue, we can become perfect. But James 3:10 states, “Out of the mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” That is where we pray and work on self-control that will affect our influence.

We must remember that all means all when the Bible says that all men sin (1 Kings 8:46, 1 John 1:8). Sometimes that is the only comfort I have when I have said something I wish I hadn’t and ask the Lord for His mercy to be shown to me and sent to the person I am afraid I have offended that was not my intention. I so identify with the Message’s version of James 3:2, “We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.” This is all very depressing not being able to be perfect and focusing on the mistakes we all have made with our conversations. But James gives encouragement in verses 13-15 on how to live for Christ:

“Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It is the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom.”

Louie Giglio stated in his book, Don’t Give The Enemy A Seat At Your Table, “He’ll kick you when your’re down. Maybe you’re lonely. Or angry. Or tired. Whenever you feel burdened or pressured, you become more susceptible to evil’s influence (page 46). . . He wants to cause division between you and the people who care for you (page 47).” Contrast the lies with the truths of God’s Word. James tells us to “live well, live wisely, live humbly.” Will you be perfect? No, you (I) will stumble, but it is not fatal, but a minor setback. Your dignity may be damaged, but this is where lessons are learned. Follow your great Shepherd. Focus on His presence with you right now. Ask Him to provide what you need.

Listen to Danny Gokey’s We All Need Jesus

James 2:12-13, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

How often do we live in the reality that we have been forgiven? Think about that for a minute. God forgives me multiple times throughout my day each time I confess to Him and ask His forgiveness of stupid things I have said or done and had regrets. I need God’s mercy every day. David sang to God after the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, in Psalm 18. “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless, with the purified you show yourself pure, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.” Verses 25 & 26. Then in Psalms 18:28 David states, “For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.” When God’s people sang this (Ps. 18), it was a hymn to remind David’s offspring to be faithful to the Lord so that Israel might carry out its God-given purpose of bringing light to the Gentiles. David maintained and sang about his steadfast trust in the Lord as his rock, refuge, shield, and stronghold, through many dangers, and his understanding of God’s mercy, in this Psalm.

Don’t we often rehearse in our mind what that other person did to us? We replay it in our mind over and over. “That person you find so offensive. Somehow, God sees something there. Something you don’t. Ask Him what it is. . . When you’re living in the reality of the forgiveness you’ve been extended, you just don’t get angry with others easily.” UN OFF-END-ABLE. How Just One Change Can Make All Of Life Better. Brant Hansen. Page 28;61. Mercy is a requirement, according to James 2:13, of believers. Could it be that showing mercy to those that have offended me is a way to shine the light of the gospel, as God lightens my darkness as I read His Word, over judging them? That is a way to not allow the enemy a seat at your/my table. Showing kindness and compassion when having the power to do otherwise, is showing mercy.

What about Matthew 6:15, from the Lord’s Prayer which states, “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Then in Matthew 18 is the parable of the unforgiving servant. We know that scenario and how the unforgiving servant that had initially been forgiven, ended up being imprisoned until he could pay his debt as punishment for his unforgiving heart. But do we remember verse 36, which says, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

The challenge I am learning recently is how to love people I don’t like. How can I better show them I love God? Everyone is experiencing a crisis at one time or another. They may not show it. But I want to be the person they know will care for and love them, despite their flaws and without judgment in my disapproval of my wanting to change their moral behavior. Jesus did this frequently in His ministry. He had the saving power to change people. I do not.

The NLT version says it this way, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.”

Listen to Casting Crowns Lyric Video “All Because of Mercy.”

James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

I carry a Tide to go pen-like stick in my purse and keep one handy in our master bathroom’s vanity drawer. I hate it when I get a stain on my shirt or clothes while eating. It ruins the whole outfit.  This handy item has been useful in removing small stains on my clothes instantly. James has been teaching about keeping a tight rein on the tongue. One’s testimony can be stained and ruined by a few angry words instantly. 2 Peter 3:14 declares: “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these (new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells v.13), be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish and be at peace.” Receiving the full reward of eternal life is for Christians who have been diligent and morally pure. We must live and act before the world “without spot or blemish.” That is a continual challenge we all face. When I was a child, my mother taught me that uneducated people use swear words because their vocabulary does not adequately contain highly educated words to express what they are saying; food for thought when this is around you. She also said this shows they have a low IQ. Again, food for thought on her motherly teaching.

James wrote on practical Christian living much like found in the book of Proverbs. He taught on the importance of living out actively Christian character rather than just reading about it. James scolded his readers by giving a command to keep oneself unstained from the unrighteousness so prevalent and to get right with God. He warned against hypocrisy. Why too often is anger our default setting? What comes out of the mouth initially comes from the heart (Matthew 15:18-20).

How else can you keep yourself “unstained” and live in the reality that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16)? John warned believers in 1 John 5:21, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” We all are tempted in this area. “From the book of Genesis, Lot is an example of a man who was spotted by the world. He started living towards Sodom, disregarding the spiritual climate of the area because of the prosperity of the area. Eventually he moved to the wicked city and became a part of the city’s leadership. The end result was that Lot lost everything – and was saved as only by the skin of his teeth.” David Guzik Commentary, Blue Letter Bible. Lot was a friend of the world whereas Abraham, had a greater ministry, and was a known as a friend of God, yet not of the world.

Minister to others that need your timely words and deeds of encouragement. Be an example. James references orphans and widows in James 1:27, as they were frequent OT examples, and 1 Timothy 5:3-16 instructs the church to look after widows and to honor them. Needy people need to be looked after by the Christian community. Proverbs 11:28 states, “Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Receive and share the Word of God where opportunities arise. Have your speech unstained from occurring frustrations. Look for opportunities to serve others and meet their needs. Practice what you read and hear from God’s Word. Look for ways to put it into practice. Maybe saying, “I am sorry, please forgive me” will be like one of those Tide pens that remove stains on clothes and will remove a stain left on someone’s memory that needs to be removed.

May my words today be wise, helpful, needed, and beneficial in humility that He has called me to rather than foolish. Ecc. 7:9 NIV states,” Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”

Listen to Casting Crowns Dessert Road (Lyric Video).

James 1:22-24, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”

What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see peaceful thoughts and joy reflected in your face? Or is there an inward brow raise or biting your lip indicating insecurity and fear or worry? The question is, what is God saying to you, that you need to do today as you look intently into His spiritual mirror? That is a question I must ask myself every time I read or hear the Word of God. Then doing what it says will result in a blessing from obedience in receiving instruction, guidance, conviction, comfort, wisdom, and protection for the decisions and situations that come my way. “Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God’s word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock. The one who both heard and did God’s word could withstand the inevitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity (Matthew 7:24-27).” David Guzik Blue Letter Bible Commentary.

Think about the word you chose for this year. Mine was endurance which takes perseverance and then results in patience. It all flows together. But it takes me doing what I hear and read in God’s Word, not just hearing about it. For example, verse 25 further goes on to say, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.“ NIV says, “. . . does not keep a tight rein on his tongue he deceives himself and is religion is worthless.” This involves endurance and persevering with self-control. I get opportunities to put this into practice every day. How about you? Too often, I share everything on my mind and say more than I should. Afterward, my brain doesn’t stop thinking, and I regret what I had said all night long. Everyone has regrets, but with God’s grace and mercy, we, I, can do better at applying God’s Word and not merely just reading over a verse of instruction and teaching and then forgetting it.

So I have several important things to do on my to-do list today:

• Bridle my tongue. Keep a tight rein on it. James 1:19 & 26.
• Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19.
• Remaining steadfast – endurance, perseverance, resulting in patience when received with faith while I wait for God to act. Hearing God’s voice in each trial. James 1:12.
• Asking for wisdom and for God’s thoughts to be mine. James 1:5-6.
• Today’s problem is temporary. Satan wants to wipe us out. Don’t give the enemy a seat at my table. Under pressure, my faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. God wants to show how faithful and real He is because Christ died for me. James 1:2-4.

What did you see in your God given mirror from His Word this past week? What is now on your to-do list for today besides the normal tasks? The Message version says it this way, “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

Listen to Phil Wickham – This Is Our God (Official Lyric Video) (came out 2 weeks ago).

James 1:19, “Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

James 1:19 was timely for me in what God was showing me to do in a meeting I had this week in my job. I needed to let Him do the talking to me first, and then I proceeded to attempt to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” I realized it is OK if I don’t know what to say right away and reminded myself to smile. When the ego is triggered, how often doesn’t anger become festered? Pursuing righteousness isn’t always reached for first. “Unrighteousness is the enemy’s invitation. Righteousness is upright living that aligns with the expectations of God.” Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God. The Breastplate of Righteousness. If I, if we, listened more first, arrogance wouldn’t be as likely to come out and those words and that tone of voice needs to be put in the garbage can.
Being a good listener shows others that their opinions matter as much as yours. Asking more questions will help to show you want to understand, yet don’t act like an interrogator. That will put people in a defensive mode.

Words of wisdom are found in the book of Proverbs regarding the need to use gracious words when reacting to difficult types of people. Proverbs 29:11 is one answer, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” Then Proverbs 22:11 states, “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.” Do I rest in God’s promises when triggered? Not always, but I need to do that more consistently instead of lashing out. I need gracious words to be on the tip of my tongue, due to my faith, hope, and love God has shown to me. 2 Timothy 1:7 declares, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” This is where being slow to speak comes in, which James is teaching about in James 1.

David Guzik’s Blue Letter Commentary states: “In light of the nature of temptation and the goodness of God, we must take special care to be slow to wrath, because our wrath does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Our wrath almost always simply defends or promotes our own agenda.” There is a lot of truth in that statement.

So, when you don’t know exactly what to say in a tense conversation with someone, they may just like hearing their own voice talk and not want to listen to what you have to say. It is OK. Let them have their agenda. Yours is to seek Jesus in all things, listen to His voice, and give Him glory. The Message says James 1:19-21 this way, “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation garden of your life.”

Listen to Phil Wickham official lyric video Worthy of My Song.

James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those that love him.”

During 2022 my word for that year was “gentleness.” I consistently kept seeing verses on that virtue and was given many instances to develop that quality and fruit of the spirit, though not always successfully executed. Now it is 2023 and the importance of “endurance” is what is before me in this new year. Another word for this is “perseverance.” What would be your word for 2023?

The quality of perseverance endurance and patience is consistently grown and needed during any trial. James keeps emphasizing this throughout James 1. I think it is easier to gauge my keeping on keeping on, after a trial, than in the heated middle of it. My prayer time is also expanded while I am experiencing a problem in comparison to when I am not.

I don’t always remember a trial is temporary. I don’t always think about the resulting blessing when going through a trial or about receiving the crown of life when I seek the Lord’s wisdom in the difficulty I am experiencing, do you? Crowns are associated with royalty. The crown of life is mentioned in James 1:12 and promised as a reward of eternal life – living with God forever. That flight will never be grounded due to bad weather or the FAA!

Galatians 5:22-23 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The test is how can we model the fruit of the Spirit when going through a trial? I often find that to be a challenge. How can I display Christ-like attitudes over my emotions during those instances? It goes back to being forced to mature in those qualities when under pressure, with endurance. There is that word again.

“The crown of life is one of three spiritual crowns specifically mentioned in the New Testament. The crown of life is the most significant . . .” Evengelicaloutreach.org. The crown of life is specifically for those who have remained faithful to the Lord despite trials or temptations. It takes humility. It takes spending time in prayer with God seeking His wisdom and guidance and direction.

• Are you able to withstand a trial without receiving a miracle? No one wants to be in the situation where you need one.
• How is your ability to have more compassion from undergoing a trial?
• “God never calls us to do something we’re capable of. God calls us to do things that are beyond our ability, so He gets all the credit.” Mark Batterson.
• Could it be that what you are enduring right now, God wants to accomplish for your good and His glory? Read over James 1 for review.

Remember, God knows your name (Isaiah 43:3). God goes before you (Deut. 31:8). You are a child of God (Romans 8:16) and you, as a child of God, belong to royalty. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Ephe. 1:18-20). Remain steadfast because you have the crown of life awaiting you for all eternity. Focus today on who God is and thank Him for all He has done in your life and helped you realign your life in His hands. What blessing will you receive from your painful experience? Ask to see things through God’s eyes as you are in His presence. He has eternal blessings planned for you. James 1:12 says, “A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” HCSB.

Listen to Brandon Heath – Give Me Your Eyes (Official Music Video)

James 1:5-6, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Have you had some struggles already into the new year of 2023? Do you feel like you have been earning yet another badge of courage? In what areas have you needed wisdom from God this past week? Trials come in many shapes and sizes and not one answer fits them all. I like the HCSB version of James 1:5-6 as it stands out to me even more, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” I need God’s wisdom when handling a crisis because I know He has a lesson for me of endurance and growing spiritually, but I don’t always see it as an opportunity to do that or even want it. Do you? I want it over. I want the ending. I want the hurt to be stopped and go away quickly. But that doesn’t always happen in my timeline.

It takes using the knowledge we have acquired along with the wisdom we have gained in putting things together in figuring out solutions. But are we asking God, when we pray, for God to be glorified first versus, “God, I need . . . ” Don’t know how to put your burden into words in your prayer? Read through the Psalms. Find one that speaks to what you need and pray those words. Psalms 138:7 states, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” Psalm 34:19 says, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” That has been my prayer this past week.

“Knowing God’s generosity – that He never despises or resents us for asking for wisdom – should encourage us to ask Him often for wisdom. We understand that He is the God of the open hand, not the God of the clenched fist.” David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible Commentary. Be specific in your needs to God. “Lord, this is specifically what I think I want, and I ask this of thee believing that thou canst give it to me.” Spurgeon. Lay it all out as you would to your closest friend.

A fitting example of James 1:6, regarding asking in faith with no doubts whatsoever, being like a “wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” would be like having Vertigo. That condition messes up your balance and makes you feel like you are being rolled and tossed around in a spinning sensation, causing dizziness. Being out on the ocean and getting sea sickness from the waves is similar. Both produce severe nausea. Don’t let unnecessary doubts and lack of faith erode and toss you around with the “what ifs” in your mind. Stay steadfast; stand firmly grounded in God’s Word. Psalm 119:130 states, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”

Have you ever been criticized for something you didn’t understand? God won’t ever make anyone feel stupid for seeking out and asking for His wisdom in growing your faith through a trial. Ask, in faith, for God to give you strength and insight, and thank Him for exposing your weaknesses as you realize your dependence upon God is what is needed. Ask Him when you need to know what to do and how to respond. Complete understanding may come in the middle or at the end of the trial. You will come out with more than what you started having in your character and integrity. Remember, this is temporary. Keep your perspective on the kingdom and your future destiny because of Christ. God’s gifts of wisdom will protect you as Proverbs 2:7 declares, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” Ask Him in faith for the wisdom you need in the trial He is walking with you through. Embrace the truth of God’s promises despite the challenging circumstances. Battles are inevitable and unavoidable. The enemy wants discord and wants to rob you of having joy and peace. Don’t let your emotions, doubts, and fears pull you down. Speak truth to the battle going on in your mind. “Prayer releases all your eternal resources.” Priscilla Shirer, The Armor of God. Throughout your day today, ask God what He is doing in your life. Thank Him for what He has done in the past when you had uncertainty.

I just had a customer of mine call me, that has been out since October, from major heart surgery. He said he could hear in my voice something was wrong. This man is not a Christian. He told me, “I know you are a woman of faith. You have a co-signer on your life. Remember that.” That was a precious moment and I pray that God uses this in turn on his life, for God’s glory, from the seeds previously planted, as it has done on mine in our time of need.

Listen to Shoulders by King & Country Lyric Video

James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Trials in life are inevitable. Pastor Todd often says, “You are either coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial.” People in the medical field see this firsthand every day in making needed diagnoses that can be good news or bad news to the recipient. Tests in life are humbling. They test our faith. It is a time to seek God’s wisdom in prayer. If you were writing a letter to your children or grandchildren, leaving them your words of wisdom, what would you write on this theme, on handling the problems they may face? What scripture verses would you include that spoke to you during those opportunities of various trials that encouraged you to keep on keeping on in the marathon of life? Next, think about what blessings did you receive after the problem passed? Are you able to look back and see them as providing opportunities for personal growth that God taught you and brought you through? Food for thought.

The most important lesson I have gained this past year in acquiring perseverance, steadfastness, and patience is the fact that our world is temporary. This problem I am facing is temporary. Our 2022 is about to end, and 2023 will take its place. The occurrence of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is closer today than yesterday, as it declares, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This fact has given me peace in knowing that God is sufficient and that Christ’s return for us is getting closer every day. This problem I am facing today, or this week is temporary. I live at a brief address because this world is not my home. I am just passing through to my eternal home in heaven.

“Patience is the ancient Greek word huponome. This word does not describe a passive waiting but an active endurance. It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room, as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon . . . Trials don’t produce faith, but when trials are received with faith, it produces patience. Yet patience is not inevitably produced in times of trial. If difficulties are received in unbelief and grumbling, trials can produce bitterness and discouragement. This is why James exhorted us to count it all joy. Counting it all joy is faith’s response to a time of trial.” David Guzik, Commentary, Blue Letter Bible. Notice that James does not say feel it all joy. There is a vast difference.

There is no escaping being distressed when going through an unfortunate predicament, what we refer to as a trial. David in Psalm 116, said in verse one, “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” David’s love for the Lord had grown because he saw his prayers answered when he appealed to the LORD for mercy when his life was threatened and slandered by his enemies. In Ps. 120:1, David declares, “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.” Notice the words in Ps. 130:1, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” There are tears of grief and there are tears of thankfulness. I have had both.

God is writing your story of His mighty work in your life. Gene Getz in his Life Essentials Study Bible, HCSG, states on James 1:2-4, A Principle to Live By – Persecution and Trials (See Deut. #14: Wilderness Experiences on page 234) “We are to view difficult experiences in our lives as opportunities to grow and mature in our faith. The Lord had two primary purposes for humbling and testing the children of Israel in their wilderness experience (taken from Deut. 8):

1. To discover what was in their hearts. Would they be motivated to obey God’s commands when they faced difficult circumstances (v.2)?
2. To discover if they could handle prosperity. Would they honor and glorify God rather than taking credit themselves (vv. 16-17)?

James reminded us in the New Testament that God has special purposes in allowing difficult experiences to come into our own lives.”

The MSG says it this way, James 1:2-4, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” I now realize God has given me gifts I hadn’t realized I had that came through various trials that have produced endurance’s complete work and I sit here in awe.

I wrote most of this right before needing to call 911 for a medical emergency my husband had this week. The ambulance arrived within minutes and took Steve to ER at our hospital which is only about four blocks away. He was kept in isolation within the ambulance due to the high number of very sick people waiting to be seen by the ER medical staff. The EMT person kept him in there and watched over him until an ER bed was available (which took several hours), due to his condition. The staff took excellent care of Steve, once a bed was available. The final diagnosis was eventually reached after seeing the prescribed medicine administered to him was working. We were fortunate to have Steve released to go home to recuperate and instructed to get plenty of rest (sleep) to help heal his body from a very bad case of Vertigo, that thankfully appeared to not lead to anything else. But if he had any reoccurrence in the next few days, to come back to ER immediately. OK, 2023, come what may. God intends them for His divine purpose that we (I) “may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Listen to King & Country Lyric Video, Cheering You On. March 17, 2022.