After getting past the first part of James 1:2-8 yesterday, the “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,” it’s the next part that becomes vitally important.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
A lack of wisdom can send us spirally off in far different directions than what God intends. To achieve God’s purpose in our trials, we better have God’s wisdom. James reminds us that it is available to us … all we have to do is ask. That’s the hard part.
So often in my trials I revert to the “terrible two’s” when every other phrase is either “No!” or “Me do it!” The first thing I do in a trial is usually rebel or try to deny it. On the heels of that comes the part where I’ll just handle it myself. Of course, neither of those approaches will produce the perfect work of patience to make me complete and lacking nothing.
Finally, I’ll get around to asking God how to approach the trials and for His wisdom to thrive and survive. And even though I have often failed to use God’s wisdom correctly in the past, He promises whenever I ask, no matter how many times I’ve failed, He’ll give it liberally and without reproach. He isn’t coming back to me asking, “What did you do with the wisdom I gave you last time?”
No, God simply gives more, and more, every time I ask. Praise His Holy Name, Amen!
