Trials

[00:00:07] Speaker A: Welcome to the weekday podcast of Sugar Hill Church where we desire to help you know God and discover your purpose, whether you're exercising, driving, meditating, or just hanging out while you tune in with us today. Thanks. We hope these next five minutes help you feel encouraged and inspired for your day. [00:00:23] Speaker B: Hi everybody. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast where I want to take a look at James Chapter one, verses two and three. I'd give anything if I could say to you that I'm doing this. Well. As a matter of fact, I recorded a podcast on this text not long ago, but it keeps coming back to me. I mean non stop these days. So I want to share this journey with you. Here's what James writes. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing your faith produces perseverance. This whole concept of of considering trials or persecution or difficulties as pure joy just sounds crazy to me. And yet it's proven over and over again that as our spiritual temperature rises, Satan's attack rise as well. We shouldn't be caught off guard that Satan is saying, I don't want you to be more like Christ, so I'm going to make it harder. Albert Einstein of all people, once made an insightful observation about dealing with life's difficulties. Now you don't expect in a weekday podcast where we unpack scripture to hear a quote from Albert Einstein. I know, but listen to this quote. Adversity introduces a man to himself. That's really good. Adversity introduces a man to himself. When life brings difficulties your way, my friend, you see where you really are at your walk with God. When our walk with God. God is healthy. It is interesting how difficulties become something that we can work through, not try to avoid. The Lord never promised his people an easy ride. In fact, the Bible's super clear in many, many passages that trial, storms and suffering are going to be a part of every follower of Jesus life. Jesus, as I've said over and over again, didn't come to keep me and you out of trouble. He came to walk us through our troubles. If believe this, just take a look at the lives of the apostles, the men Jesus chose to take his message of salvation to the world. Nearly all of them experienced imprisonment, beatings, even martyrdom. God also doesn't automatically make you a patient person once you give your life to him. If so, I'm failing miserably. This whole concept of patience comes through the testing of our faith and he doesn't instantly make you a person of great perseverance either. Instead, he uses a process where the trials in our life strengthen us and make us the patient, persevering person he intends for us to be. Let this be your prayer today. Lord, help me to be patient and to persevere despite the difficulties I face. Lord, I tend to be impatient. I'm prone to giving up. Lord, would you help me and strengthen me and I pray all that in Jesus name, Amen, Amen and Amen. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast. Did I say that wrong? The Weekday Podcast. Thanks. Bye. [00:03:41] Speaker A: Thanks so much for joining us today for the weekday podcast. Our prayer is that the encouragement you just heard would help you live more like Jesus today. We would love to see you at Sugar Hill Church for one of our gatherings each Sunday at 9, 15 and 11. And we're always streaming live at Live Sugarhill Church. Thanks again for joining us today. As always, if today's message encouraged you, share it with friends and family by tapping the share button. Have an awesome day.