Grilled Cheese and Ketchup

Scripture: James 1

"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

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"12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."


OAP: Our connection group is working through James over the next few months, and within the first chapter alone we found some interesting stuff. James challenges the reader with such huge ideas yet he puts them all so simply. Such as thanking God when he gives us hardships, even viewing them as "pure joy." Wait, what? Thanking him? Pure joy? When God puts me in crappy situations this is definitely not how I respond. Often I pray for internal growth and wisdom and all that good stuff, and then complain to God when my situations get worse. But now it makes sense that God would put us through these kind of sucky experiences to grow our souls and our faith. It dawned on me praying for growth and maturity and discernment means we are actually asking for these sorts of hardships. And we know that if we walk through them with the holy spirit, we will come out of each trial with knowledge, wisdom, maturity. This excites me so much, now I want to look at the hardships I have set before me, and even the ones I am in currently, and thank God for the opportunities given to grow my faith. Obviously, sucky situations will still suck and be hard as ever, but this passage just gives me optimism about it.


God, thank you for giving me FML moments, and showing me the possibilities in them.