Good Morning.

James barely says 'hello' to his first century Christian converts, and he launches into the whole subject

of trials. . . we have to stop and ask ourselves 'why?' 'No pleasantries, no 'glad handing', just count it all joy

when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience

have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (New King James Version)

What?? Be joyful? Be happy? When you are going through trials? It isn't logical.

We must ask ourselves why James' readership was scattered in the first place. . . Many had left Jerusalem

after attending Pentecost to return home--irrevocably changed by their embracing of Christianity.

Some had left Palestine by force, some by choice. . . but mostly because of persecution.

Persecution? In today's world there is still 'the persecuted church' in China and other parts of the

world--people born into cultures permeated with godless mores, and those that are born into countries

with oppressive, corrupt governments--that said, even though our "Morning Briefing" readership has just expanded

to So. Africa and the Netherlands, I do not know how many of us 21st-century dwellers can relate to the

circumstances of these who were poor--suffering and oppressed by their own neighbors. Really, we can't.

I have never been imprisoned for my faith or made to feel that I had better not talk about it for fear of

what might happen to me or my family. Oh sure, you and I might hesitate to say too much for fear that someone

might think we're fanatical or a 'weak person who needs the crutch of religion', but this cannot compare to what these

people were up against. (By the way, finding ways to turn ordinary conversations into spiritual ones is oft stimulating

and most interesting! One time, I was writing on the subject 'can I really know there is a God?' so it was uppermost

in my mind. I was having blood drawn in the hospital, and I asked this wild-haired redhead phlebotomist if she believed

there was a God, and how she knew. . . the ensuing conversation was fascinating, as she was a real thinker herself and

intrigued by my question. So, take the chance--ask the deeper question of someone; it is a lot fun--no persecution.

So James encourages his readers by telling them that their trials will produce patience. No, trials do not come

our way because God has an ornery streak. They are meant for our growth ~ in our faith, in our character.

I don't think there is any disagreement that our times of greatest growth have come in times of greatest

testing.

We need to ask ourselves, even as we are going through a tremendous challenge, what possible good might we take from it?

James says to be joyful and JOY really is possible

when we know we will be stronger as a result of what we are experiencing.

What is your reaction when a trial is pressing in around you? Are you stressed? Irritable? Worried?

What do you do? To whom do you run? Trials are opportunities for us to run to God, my friends.

Putting our faith in God during times of great testing creates in us an active steadfastness, staying power,

constancy, and a strength in our determination.

So, when life throws you a curveball--which it does and it will--

stop and consider surrendering that situation to God, (He is big enough),

ask yourself what you may learn from the experience. . . turn to God and ask Him for His wisdom.

Wisdom? oh yeah, we'll talk about that tomorrow. . .

Grace and peace to you today. . .

Christine