Verses Used:

Takeaways:

Mature Faith Sees Trials Differently

Joy is not pretending pain doesn’t hurt. Joy is confidence that God is accomplishing something good, even when we can’t yet see it.
We want God to calm the storm. Most of the time he doesn’t. He uses it to reveal His presence with us, His power to guide and provide what we need in the midst of the storm.
The goal is maturity. James says, “...that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”. In Greek, perfect would be described as something that has reached its intended purpose. Something fully developed, whole, complete, or mature.
James wants us to consider that maybe God’s greatest work isn’t getting us out of the storm, but it’s us growing through the storm.

Mature Faith Seeks God’s Wisdom

James challenges us to pray, “God, what do You want to teach me?” and consider the hard questions like: How do I respond to this person? Do I speak up or stay quiet? How do I forgive someone who hurt me? How do I parent this child? How do I care for aging parents?
Mature faith comes with open hands. It’s saying “Father, I trust You. Show me the way.” It isn’t being double minded or two souled where one foot is with the Father and one foot is somewhere else. That would be saying, “God, I want Your wisdom as long as it matches what I already want.”
Mature faith doesn’t simply ask God to change our circumstances; it asks God to help us know what to do in the midst of them (wisdom).
Trials have a way of exposing what we’re really trusting.

Mature Faith Trusts the Father’s Character

God may allow a trial. God never leads us into sin.
At the root of every sin is a failure to trust God.
The Progression of Sin looks like: Trial - Temptation - Desire - Sin - Death
When life hurts, don’t conclude that God has stopped being good. When temptation is strong, don’t conclude that God has abandoned you.
Verse 17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
That Father gives generously. He gives wisdom. He gives every good and perfect gift.
Don’t interpret God’s character through your circumstances. Interpret your circumstances through God’s character.

Discussion Questions:

James says, “Count it all joy.” How is joy different from pretending suffering doesn’t hurt?
Think about a trial you’ve experienced. Looking back, how did God use it to grow your faith or reveal something about your heart?
Why do you think our first instinct is usually to pray for the storm to end rather than asking what God wants to produce in us?
When circumstances are difficult, what truths about God’s character are hardest for you to remember?