(Originally posted 2/26/2017)
How are we to respond to trials?
Today, we continued our new series today called Faith on Trial from James 1:1–18! the sermon was the second part last week’s sermon called Growing Christians God’s Way. We learned two absolute essentials when trials come our way:
- You must develop the right attitude (1:2–3)
- You must demonstrate real submission (1:4).
We learned that we need to submit to God’s will in our trials, because He uses them to conform us to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our trials are not merely cold circumstances of this cruel world which come upon us by chance. They come from the hand of our sovereign God who loves us deeply and desires our growth in godliness. As we endure suffering, we find our joy in, “fixing our eyes upon Jesus the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joyset before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).
Look for a more in depth article later this week for some of the way’s God has used difficulty in our Pastor’s life.