Trials and Tribulation

Hey Guys! This is Ashley! Last week, I was able to share with the students and leaders at Vibe about my story and experience as we started the new series, where we will be reading through the book of James!

This is an awesome book! And there is a lot of stuff in it. I really want to encourage y’all to be reading this book in your own time. It has lots of practical goodness, and I have really enjoyed going through it myself.

We spent most of the night talking about what James writes in James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

So James writes “if you face…”, NO! he actually says “when you face…”. There's a huge difference! James knows that we all will, if we haven't already, go through trials. There's no if's. And James goes on to say "trials of many kinds". Trials can be any kind of struggle you may be going through. Some of y'all might not be looking forward to school because there are some bullies there, maybe you're in a relationship that is hurtful and even abusive. There are many kinds of trials, but I want to share with y'all a trial of mine.

One of my trials was a trial I was born with. I was just about to turn four when my family found out that I couldn't hear (here I am in the pic as a four-year old with my teachers). The reason I could not talk at the time was due to the point that I could not hear for the first four years of my life. For the next couple of years, I would have to work harder to catch up to everyone else in my class. When the class would have recess or play time, I would go to work on my speech with my own teacher. It was clear to me that I was different than everyone else. I was getting some extra attention that I didn’t want. I would get so frustrated because I couldn’t say a word right or when someone spoke for me because someone couldn’t understand me. Even today, there’s a clear difference, day and night, in the way I am when I have my hearing aids on and when I don’t. I go from confident to self-conscious. I immediately feel the anxiety because I lose control.

And if I'm reading this right, James is telling me to consider it pure joy! Take joy in feeling frustrated because I am in a situation I can't control. There are many kinds of trial, but there is a common theme to the trials, it’s the lack of control. As much as we try to control the situation, we feel helpless.

Take some time to watch this video, it's a story similar to the story I am sharing with y'all. This man has a great perspective on how to consider his trial as pure joy. 

In this video, John talks about how given the choice to have his hearing loss taken away, he’s not sure that he would take it. It’s sounds like crazy talk even to me as I say it, but I’m not sure that I would either.

The dictionary defines Perseverance as a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. 

James later writes “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial…”

Though it is hard to be hearing impaired, I consider my hearing loss is a blessing. How? Through my trials, I’ve had to depend on God in a way that I might not have ever did without those trials. 

Your circumstances, your situation may not be normal, and it may be hard. You might be suffering. But God is not just an observer in your life. He’s not punishing you. He loves you. He is real. And He is going to carry us through our trials.

It's not going to be easy sometimes, but as Christ-followers, we have a promise we can hold onto. We persevere through the trial and tribulation because we are on a course with a purpose!

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)