This week I started a new series of studying the book of James for myself. I haven’t got very far (it’s only been 2 days, after all), but as I reflected on the opening verses of this epistle, I felt I should share my thoughts. My reason is not that I think my reflections are so ground-breaking or astoundingly brilliant, but rather that I know that these reflections are significant for me as I begin my new job and that they are also very challenging. Therefore, I need to be kept accountable to these, and so, you, my friends, have the privilege of reading these thoughts, so you can help me in this! (If I tagged you when I shared this, it’s because we often talk, catch up and pray together, so I think it’s probably good you know about it!)
The author is generally believed to be Jesus’ brother, and yet, here, he introduces himself simply as His servant, acknowledging Jesus as Lord, and as the Messiah. James is writing to the twelve tribes who are “in the Dispersion”(Jas 1:1), i.e. outside of Israel. James, Jesus’ brother, was the head of the Church in Jerusalem, and so he could be writing a letter of teaching from the Christians in Jerusalem to their brothers and sisters in the wider Roman Empire, although the reference to the “twelve tribes” (Jas 1:1) suggests that he is likely to be writing to Jewish believers, some the descendants of the original Jewish Diaspora, who are likely to have experienced many trials and persecution, such as described in Acts 17.
With this audience in mind, James writes “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (Jas 1:2), reasoning that through the testing of faith perseverance, or in the ESV ‘steadfastness’, is produced (Jas 1:3). To me this means that through any kind of trial, we find that it is easy to persevere in our faith, which becomes more steadfast, unshakeable. James writes that we should “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” If perseverance is necessary for maturity and completion, so too are the trials that produce it. But what does it mean to consider the trials ‘pure joy’? Is the joy the same as happiness? If so, it seems almost impossible to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4), as Paul tells us, or, as James instructs, to count trials as joy. The continuation of Phil 4 gives us a clue. The command to rejoice is so often paired with the command to make thanksgiving to God (Phil 4:6), even as we bring our requests to God. Paul also emphasises this in 1 Thess 5:16-18, exhorting the Christians in Thessalonica to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This understanding of joy, makes sense, for me, when I read James’ words. I can be thankful to God for trials because of that what they result in, perseverance and steadfastness in faith, and in so doing I count them as joy. Peter too, talks of trials and testing resulting in joy (1 Pt 1:4). Whilst thankfulness is only a small part of the Christian understanding of joy, I think that it is one of the most helpful for understanding James’ thought at the beginning of his letter.
Another aspect of counting a trial as ‘joy’ is that this must entail a willing surrender to God, trusting Him to use that trial to bring steadfast/persevering faith.
James concludes v4, which urges his readers to let perseverance have its full effect, by explaining that by so doing they would be “lacking nothing”. The next verse, James becomes more specific, addressing those who are lacking in wisdom, encouraging such a person to ask God for it. James reminds us that God “gives generously to all without reproach”. For myself, as I am about to start a new job, working in situations I haven’t previously experienced, and people I do not currently know, I realise that wisdom is something I am lacking. James’ exhortation encourages me to ask for this. James, however, couples this encouragement with a word of caution, that such a person should not doubt when asking for this, because if they do, they will not receive anything. I have previously read this passage as referring to how much I believe that I will receive what I ask, and that is how I have mainly heard it preached. However, today, a different thought occurred to me, having read it in the context of the previous verses. James describes the person who doubts as “double-minded”, which suggests to me that James could be more referring to someone who only half wants what they have asked for. If, to not be lacking anything, one needs the perseverance/ steadfastness that comes through trials of various kinds, then, when someone asks for wisdom, they are in fact asking for a trial through which they will grow in wisdom. If this is the case, then someone may ask for wisdom, and then, realising what they are actually asking, become double-minded, unsure, in fact doubting, whether they really want what they ask for.
That thought is a big challenge for me. I know that I need to ask for wisdom, but I know that that will, most likely, be learnt through trials, be that at work, church or in my home community. It will then be tempting to ask God to stop the trial, or regret asking God for wisdom, because the trials seem too difficult. Therefore, I ask you, my friends, to hold me accountable to this. I ask that, if, when we catch up, I mention that I am struggling with a ‘trial’ at work, or elsewhere, you remind me of this blog post, of what I have asked God for, and why it is important. I know that my heavenly Father loves me, and that, when there are trials, I can cry out to him in the midst of the frustration and pain that they bring, just as Jesus did “Father, take this cup from me”, but I want to be able to also say “Not my will, but yours be done”. My trials will be nowhere near as hard, painful or monumental as Jesus’, but I do still need to be prepared to willingly surrender to God, and give thanks for trials through which God will build my faith, and particularly the wisdom I will need in the future. But I’ll need help with that, so please pray for me, and encourage me to keep trusting God in the ups and downs of work and life.
Thanks 🙂
repairerofwalls 