JAMES 1:1-8
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2007
DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the
twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let
patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing. 5 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. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For
let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:1-8
(NKJV)
A NOTE FROM RON - Most of the time I choose--at random--passages from
Scripture without a particular reason. There are times when I feel that
God has led me to choose a passage needed by someone who might use these
devotions. Occasionally, I like to do a series that covers every verse
of a Book of the Bible so that the devotions can also be used as an aid
in Bible Study. Recently I did such a series on the
First Epistle of
John. These can be found in the
ARCHIVES of Prayer
and Devotions. I like to choose Books of the Bible that are less
often read and/or studied. This is the first devotion of a series on the
Book of James. It is my hope that these words may be an instrument of
God in helping you to draw nearer to Him.
Some years ago it was almost impossible to listen to an hour of popular
music without hearing the words from the movie "Cocktail" and performed
by Bobby McFerrin, "DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY." I was glad to find the words
printed on the Internet so that I could not only review them but also to
pause and reflect on those times and memories.
It would be very easy to substitute the words, "DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY"
for the words ‘COUNT IT ALL JOY" that James uses in the 2nd verse of
Chapter 1. The verse would then read like this. "Don’t worry, be happy
when you fall into various trials." Sometimes people have a lot of
trouble understanding why they should be joyful, why they should not
worry when they go through the trials of life. Yet this is what James is
saying that needs to be done as we face trials and temptations. It is
important to note that James does not say that trials and temptations
are not painful, are not difficult times, or do not bring tears. He is
instead saying when you face them be happy, face them with joy rather
than fear.
James then goes on to tell us why. Here I want to use an example from my
life to help you understand how true and important are the words of
James. In 1952 when I had polio, there was a seven day isolation period
in which time the degree of paralysis would be determined. In my case,
at the end of those seven days the only parts of my body that I could
use were my fingers, my eyes and my mouth. My breathing, eating,
hearing, sight and digestion were NOT affected, just the muscles that
controlled the movement of body parts. This was the trial that I faced.
In seven days changing from an active 16 year old who had just received
his driver’s license 6 weeks before, to a totally helpless person who
could do nothing for himself.
Verse 3 - testing your faith produces patience - My muscles had all
tightened and needed to be stretched so they would be able to be used.
Most people have had muscles that tightened a little and when you move
the wrong way and they stretched, there was a little pain. Imagine that
pain if your leg or arm was lifted only a half inch before the pain
became very severe. The physical therapist would say to me, "It has to
hurt to get better." I could be happy to go through this test of pain
because I knew that in days or weeks ahead, the muscles would be
stretched, the pain would be gone, and I might have the chance to learn
to walk again.
Verse 4 - Let patience have its perfect work. When we face trials and
temptations we need to take our time. As my muscles began to be
stretched, I wanted so badly for the process to hurry, but it did not.
Fortunately, I did not have the opportunity to say that I don’t want to
do this any more, it is too hard, it is boring, or I don’t see any
results. I had no other place to turn. I had to be patient and trust the
therapist. Likewise in our trials and temptations, we must be patient
and trust God. In our faith walk it is patience that produces the fruits
of faith even when it seems there is no hope.
Verse 5 - If any lack wisdom, ask God. I knew nothing about how to
recover from polio. Once I found out that my questions were not stupid
and that the therapist cared about me, did the questions ever flow. That
helped in my being patient and my recovery. God cares about us even more
than the therapist cared about me.
Verse 6- 8 - Let him ask in faith with no doubting. I had absolute faith
in the therapist. I knew that if the stretching hurt, that it had to be
if I was going to be better. I knew that if things did not go as fast as
they should, it was not because the therapist was doing something wrong.
When the therapist said that I would probably walk again, I had no
doubt. Whatever question I would ask, I knew that I might not get the
answer I wanted, but I would get the right answer. God does an even
better job than the therapist.
When you face trials and temptation, count it all joy, DON’T WORRY, BE
HAPPY.
WE PRAY:
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there. AMEN
"Away In a Manger" from cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
The next time you face a trial or temptation, instead of asking, "Why me Lord?" ask, " Lord, how can I use this trial for your glory?