How to be blessed by God. James 1:12

We might not use those exact words. In fact, we probably don’t. Today people talk about the “fulfilled life” or the “happy life.” But the meaning is the same. The Philadelphia Baptist Catechism begins this way:What is it that everyone wants out of life?HappinessLest we think that answer light or flippant, here is the second […]

We might not use those exact words. In fact, we probably don’t. Today people talk about the “fulfilled life” or the “happy life.” But the meaning is the same. The Philadelphia Baptist Catechism begins this way:
What is it that everyone wants out of life?
Happiness
Lest we think that answer light or flippant, here is the second question and answer:
Where is this happiness to be found?
In God only.
Here is a basic conundrum of life. We all by nature seek happiness. Some people think they find it in the things of this world. Recently  I was flipping through the TV channels when I happened upon a broadcast of Billy Graham preaching in some great crusade a half-century ago. As the camera panned the crowd, you could hear Dr. Graham say, “You will never find peace, you will never find joy, you will never happiness apart from Jesus Christ.”
What a claim we make!
I heard just that little snippet, but it stuck in my mind. What a claim we Christians make! We not only say that happiness comes through Jesus. We say that the only lasting happiness comes through him. We flatly declare that there is no ultimate peace or joy or fulfillment in sex or money or power or fame or degrees or buildings or gold medals or big estates or anything else that money can buy.
Wealth can do many things, but it cannot buy peace of mind.
Fame can do many things, but it cannot give us lasting joy.
Power can do many things, but it cannot free us from guilt.
Wealth cannot buy peace of mind
Years ago we used to sing a little song called Happiness is the Lord. The chorus went like this:
Real joy is mine, no matter if teardrops start;
I’ve found the secret, it’s Jesus in my heart!
In its own simple way, that chorus contains vast truth. The joy Jesus brings will last even when our hearts are breaking. Teardrops come soon enough for all of us. When the hard times come, we need a joy greater than the passing pleasure of seeing our team win the Super Bowl.
Good news and bad news
When James wrote to the suffering Christians scattered across the Roman Empire, he included a verse that tells us how we can be blessed by God. This is the path to true happiness. There is good news and bad news in this verse. The good news is, this blessing is available to anyone who wants it. The bad news is, the blessing comes with a price tag.
Here are three steps to God’s blessing:
Step 1: We Endure Our Trials
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial” (v. 12a).
The most important word in that phrase is “under.”
We must remain steadfast “under” trial.
The Greek word has the idea of soldiers standing in position when the enemy mounts a fierce attack. When others cut and run, this man stands and fights. He does not give in to fear, he does not flinch when the battle gets hot, and he does not look for a quick way out. He stands and fights when the enemy storms the ramparts.
When trouble comes, this man stands and fights
God delivers his children in two different ways. Sometimes he delivers us from trials. Most of the time we aren’t even aware when this happens. We won’t know until we get to heaven how many times God intervened to protect us from danger. Sometimes God protects us through trials. He gives us what we need as we go through the fiery furnace of affliction so that when our “furnace time” is over, we will emerge stronger than we were before.
We don’t get to choose our trials
I suppose most of us would say, “I would rather be spared from trial than have to go through it.” That’s a perfectly normal way to feel. But rarely do we have the choice. Cancer comes whether we want it or not. The economy craters and takes our job with it. The church splits despite our prayers. A former friend lies about us and then tries to destroy our reputation.
Bad things happen all the time.
I know of no way to avoid the troubles that come with living in a fallen world. As far as trials are concerned, we are all in one of three places:
No easy way out
Either we’re coming out of a trial.
Or we’re in a trial.
Or we’re about to go into a season of trial-and we don’t know it yet!
James does not offer us any schemes that will enable us to avoid the troubles that come our way or to get out of them quickly. But he does say this. God promises a blessing to those who will endure their trials with grace, dignity, and fortitude.
Life is nothing but a series of tests. Some we pass, some we fail. We may face a sudden new challenge on the job, or the boss may fire us with no warning, or the doctor may say, “I’m sorry. You’ve got cancer,” or your spouse may leave you, your kids may disappoint you, your church may split, your portfolio may plummet, your friends may desert you, or you may struggle with depression and thoughts of suicide. You may be tempted to chuck it all and run away, to turn to alcohol, or to give yourself over to sensual pleasure. You may simply feel so overwhelmed that you can’t imagine going on for another day. Chronic pain may be your constant companion.
James wants us to know that standing strong in hard times brings its own reward. We will be “approved” by God. We will “pass the test.” We will “gain the prize.”
Source; Keep Believing Minitries