In the first half of the 20th century, racial segregation laws were enforced in the United States. Even jazz great Duke Ellington was prevented from staying in the guest rooms of hotels where he and his band performed. When asked how this discrimination made him feel, Ellington replied, “I took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.” He allowed an ugly, race-based situation to build up his character.
Isn’t that what James was after in the opening chapter of the book that bears his name? He reminded his readers that trials are inevitable (v.2). He wanted us to fully grasp the idea that they can be used to help us grow and develop spiritually (v.3). James wanted his audience to read his letter and walk away with the understanding that trials can build character and faith in the believer, and it requires three things:
• Trials can build character if we respond to them appropriately. Our response should be one of joy (James 2:2). James was not telling us to be happy about the pain experienced, but to find joy in a relationship with Jesus and the fact that we have been counted worthy to suffer for Him (Philippians 1:29).
• Trials can build character if we accurately understand the reason for our trials. The purpose of trials is to produce patience and to allow patience to help us develop into more mature Christians (James 1:3-4).
• Trials can build character if we rely on God absolutely. We should ask God for wisdom and answers as we go through various trials (v.5).
God is still looking for people who will not pout about their trials, but who will allow Him to use their them to make beautiful music for the world. “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (1:3).
More:
• Matthew 5:10-12
• Luke 6:22-23
• Acts 5:41
Next:
What good has come out of a difficult situation in your life? What is God teaching you this week through the trials you're facing?
peg on May 18, 2009 at 8:21 am
I am trying to look at trials as opportunities to give God glory and please Him. It’s not easy. I pray for wisdom and understanding. I want to please Him and endure.
marvin williams on May 18, 2009 at 8:39 am
Peg, thank you for sharing your heart. I know it’s not easy. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Father, please give Peg the wisdom to see your plan and strength and patience she needs to bear up under the trials that come her way. Give her the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. In the name/authority of Jesus I pray. Amen!
peg on May 18, 2009 at 9:38 am
Thank you Marvin. I appreciate the prayer and agree with it. You also please be blessed in your service to others. 🙂
Corryn on May 18, 2009 at 8:30 am
Things have been so challenging with my husband’s illness, I hardly know WHAT to pray for… this is a great devotional that comes on the heels of a long night with my prayer just being “please change something, God.” We are having to wait for diagnostic results, while he is enduring pain and the knowledge that most of his physical issues will not change.
At the same time, I truly recognize this as an opportunity to experience God’s grace and love .. through our family and church family. But, I’m very tired, not about to lose faith that God is near, but tired of the fight. Please pray for awareness of the opportunities to glorify God in His all-sufficiency and presence.
marvin williams on May 18, 2009 at 8:46 am
Ahhhhh (deep sigh)! Corryn, my heart aches and breaks for you and your husband. The fact that you took time to comment is a grace from God to all of us. Father in heaven, we praise you for the greatness of your grace. It is enough to meet our needs. I lift up Corryn and her husband to you today. Give her the awareness to recognize opportunities to bring you glory through this very painful and tiring ordeal. Perfect your strength in her and her husband’s weakness and make your name famous through them. In Jesus name and by his authority I pray. Amen!
Corryn on May 19, 2009 at 8:48 am
Thank you and God bless you Marvin for taking the time to pray for us…and, amazingly!, I felt God’s strength yesterday in getting around to the MD, yet again, to try to schedule and get necessary lab work for a biopsy (for the third time!)…I was almost falling asleep on the way there, but was blessed by the fact that all in the oncologist’s office were helpful, went the extra mile! I was extremely weak, but God answered your prayer and gave me strength! Thank you — God really used you to bless me yesterday! We will pray for you and your ministry — and your wonderful contributions to OJD.
marvin williams on May 19, 2009 at 9:17 am
Corryn, I thank God for your courage and answering my prayer for your strength. Grace and peace.
ca9428 on May 18, 2009 at 9:27 am
I’m new to ODJ (discovered it just a couple of days ago), so this question may seem irrelevant or something, but I don’t see the connection between the devotional prompt and the passage under “READ >” (1Sam 2:12-36). I thought that the prompt was really great, and I loved that it pulled in so many other passages to support the message. I found the 1Sam passage interesting but a little confusing, so I would really appreciate it if anyone could help me understand it better. Thanks!
peg on May 18, 2009 at 9:37 am
Actually I was wondering the same thing.
ca9428 on May 18, 2009 at 9:56 am
Oh, wait! It changed. Maybe it was a web error. “Thanks!” to whomever changed it!
ca9428 on May 18, 2009 at 9:56 am
Oh, wait! It changed. Maybe it was a web error. “Thanks!” to whoever changed it!
marvin williams on May 18, 2009 at 10:00 am
Yeah, we fixed it. Thanks, Tom. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. That’s community is for, right? Blessings on you! Grace and peace. Have a great day.
peg on May 18, 2009 at 10:26 am
Okay, that’s better. thanks, marvin
ca9428 on May 18, 2009 at 10:38 am
I have been looking at Deuteronomy chapter 8 on and off for the last year. It is a passage that spoke deeply to me and called me to a life of mission while I fasted. I think it really speaks to this topic as well. It explains why God allows His people to suffer. In this particular passage he speaks of the Israelites in the desert, but it can apply to any suffering:
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you” (Deuteronomy 8:2-5)
Also, some other good references are:
Psalm 71:20 and John 16:33
peg on May 18, 2009 at 10:50 am
ca9428, Good research. I like the scripture references you made. I know a while ago that I was wondering in the wilderness. My husband divorced me and I was raising our youngest child alone. But, God blessed me so much, (although I didn’t see it at the time). Now, she is 20 and the apple of my eye. She is a wonderful christian girl, straight A student in college, and getting married soon to a wonderful christian man.
And Marvin’s Luke 6. Wow! I did experience that too. God is so good. He has taken a bad time in my life and made it wonderful. If I hadn’t have left when I did, my daughter would not have done so well. We talk about that time and praise God for delivering us out of a bad situation.
my on May 18, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I’m new to the site and I just have to say that I’ve enjoyed reading the comments. “Don’t Pout” reminds me of two people in my life. One contracted HIV through an unfaithful husband and the other is battling cancer. There are so many who would give up and lose all hope but these two people have shown courage and undying faith. The individual with HIV is fighting for her life; the last thing she said to me was, “I have to believe God is going to heal my body”. She didn’t pout or complain about the unfairness of what happened to her. Instead, she turned to God. The individual with cancer has been fighting for over a year now. What was told to me terminal cancer with a life span of 2-4 months has turned into a year or so longer battle with the awful disease yet, he’s been faithful to God. Throughout his aggressive chemo treatment he would have his mother read the bible while he cried from the effects of the chemo. I have yet to hear these two wonderful people complain or pout. I have however heard them glorify God and magnifiy him. It’s not always easy going through pain and suffering but when we can depend on God and learn to have faith in him, things are so much easier to go through and endure.
marvin williams on May 18, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Wow! This is a wonderful testimony. Thanks for sharing this. Our God is an amazing God, isn’t he? You are a good friend. Continue to encourage them with the ministry of your presence. Grace and peace, my dear sister.
housleylaw on August 12, 2009 at 3:10 pm
What a great influence. He took the ill will and made good from it. Do not pout; what a great word of advice. Self pity is of the devil. Oswald Chambers stated that pity is of no use to a Christian and a primary tool of the devil.
For those of you old enough to remember, UCLA once dominated the hard courts and had a great coach in John Wooden. Coach Wooden’s father instilled the following two sets of threes in his children and I am using same with my children:
Never lie Do not whine
Never cheat Do not complain
Never steal Do not make excuses
Let us thank God for each and every breath, thought, action, and deed that we have. Let us focus on the blessings already given and let us not always spend our time seeking new blessings.
Praise God and all glory be unto Him.
btplove on February 26, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Hello, I am not new to the site but seldom do I leave
comments. But today I want to say, thank you to
Marvin Williams for writing the artical and to everyone who wrote a comment. Not only is there someone in my church batteling with HIV, but one of the pastors at our church lost three of her children in a span of two years! Right now our Apostle’s wife is in the hospital in ICU, and she had to have a transfusion. And I have the nerve to be sitting here pouting! Lord, please forgive me cause what I’m going through is just light afflications.