James 1:2-5, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers tempatations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

With the issue of the current pandemic threat to the world and thinking upon the many difficulties and troubles causing such a menagerie of sufferings within our own church body, I was drawn to consider more closely the valuable instruction of the above text. Please carefully read this passage and then I hope you don’t mind my sharing the following: “My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations…” Let’s first observe that the word temptations in this usage is not the inducement unto sin. For God tempteth no man to evil – James 1:13. But, by a Just and Holy cause, He does send us trials for the testing and proving of our faith and other graces. As it is written, “He fed thee with manna in the wilderness, to humble and prove thee, and do thee good at the latter end” – Deut. 8:16. When afflictions come upon the saints they are not judgments from God, but faithful correction.

Temptations, or trials, are to be judged by the Christian not by natural senses for then the only conclusion would be, “No affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous…” – Hebrew 12:11. To the flesh, trails are only an experience of sorrow and often bitterness. But in the hand of God they become a great blessing and joy, “No affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” The saint must then judge all things by a supernatural light.  Ps.36:9. “The things of God knoweth no man, but by the Spirit of God."  When we judge thusly, then we can humbly declare with the Prophet, “The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stones” – Is.9:10. Dear friends, we may face miseries enough, but in God’s light it comes to light how that we can not only make up and repair the loss, but know how to suffer through the afflictions to our hope and eventual comfort. “Ye took the spoiling of your goods joyfully” – Heb .10:34; “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation” – II Cor.7:4. God’s people may be called to go through the fire (1Pet.1:7;4:12), but like Moses’ bush, though we may burn we shall not be consumed – Malachi 3:6.

Now, “when you fall into divers temptations…” this is not those trials that come upon us from our own carnal errors, but those various miseries which come unexpectedly, yet are for our purging of inward dross as only our dear Savior can do as he faithfully sits before the furnace of affliction as the Refiner of our souls – Malachi 3:2; Zech.13:9; 1Pet.1:7. God often tries us by the use of divers or various means for we all have various sicknesses and with each the Lord may have a different remedy.

How often do we feel, though, that some trials are of such bitterness and hurt that we find absolutely no reason or sense for why they happened. But our text says God provides an understanding, “v2…count it all joy when you fall…v3 Knowing this…. Here then is one reason for our joy. Our Heavenly Father knows of what we are in need and sends the remedy and the testing of that remedy that we may know or understand. With cords of loving kindness, the Lord leads us to the place where we can understand that when he tries a soul He only “trieth the Righteous” – Ps.11:5, and this trial yields fruit by which we are exercised and made better than before – Heb.12:5-11. God’s aim in our afflictions is not destruction, but our perfection. And so, we further read…“But let patience have her perfect work…”. Not that the spiritual gift of patience works in any other way other than unto perfection, but from the “knowing” as previously considered, the Christian is now embraced with the assurance that they can let, or allow and submit to the fact that through faith their exercise in trials leads to an experience of spiritual growth. Our patience is inextricably tied to the inworking of more graces in both our souls and lives – Rom.5:3, James 1:12; Rev.13:10;14:12. Notice what the Lord has promised to Jerusalem. (The church) (Is. 66:12) “For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her (The church) like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.”

Brethren, let us draw near to God and he has promised to draw near to us. We then will be able to go forth in a turbulent world with peace in our hearts.

Remember the definition of peace. (Rest and quietness) (Is. 33:20) “Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eye shall see Jerusalem, (the church) a quiet habitation.” It is a place of peace and quietness and a refuge from the storms of life. A place to find rest and eat from the table set by the Lord for His children.

(Is. 32:17) “[And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever].” (V-18) “ And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” You will find that peace and quietness in an orderly Church of God.

I close with the words of the Apostles salutation: Grace, mercy, and peace, from the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. May God grant us to rest in this peace that passeth all understanding until he comes and takes his children home?