TRIALS! TRIALS! TRIALS!

James 1:2-8
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Krispy Kreme doughnuts is one of the fastest-growing franchises in the US. In addition to their unique taste, a key to Krispy Kreme's phenomenal success is its strategic blueprint for individual shops. Customers are able to watch through a glass wall while doughnuts are created along an assembly-line conveyor system.

First the little balls of dough are shot through with a piercing blast of air to create a hole. Then the flat doughnuts are forced to spend time in the "proof box," where they ride an elevator up and down in an atmosphere of heat and humidity. This is what allows the flat dough to rise. Then the soon-to-be delicacies are dropped into hot oil and cooked thoroughly. As the circular survivors of this intense ordeal make their way toward the end of the line, they pass through a cascading torrent of icing. Mmmmmmm.

Just as the intense heat helps to produce the delicious treats at Krispy Kreme, so the intense heat of trials helps to produce character in the life of a follower of Jesus (James 1:2-8). Trials produce character when we respond with joy, not
murmuring and complaining. We who follow Jesus can rejoice in the midst of trials, because our joy is not based on circumstances but on a personal relationship with Jesus.

Trials, even though they hurt, produce character when we understand that they are designed to build endurance and maturity. Endurance helps us to have everything we need to survive the next trial, and maturity helps us to look more and more like Jesus.

Our trials will produce character as we depend on God's resources absolutely. Prayer is the most vital resource God has
made available to us. We must get on our knees before we can get on our feet. Through prayer, God will generously give us wisdom to help us make decisions that glorify Him in the midst of our trials. --Marvin Williams

DESTINATION POINTS

* How have I responded to my trials in the past? How can I let God begin to change my response to my hard times?
* In what ways have I matured the most as a result of my difficulties?
* How can I make good use of God's resources during my trials?

LINKS:
Why Would A Good God Allow Suffering?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0106

bottom line: Trials provide opportunities to triumph.

soul journey