May 2020

Counseling friends isn’t easy; it’s tough to detach because we’re inclined to take their side. But there my friend was, sitting in my church office and sharing a troubling family situation.

God must have used me that day because at the end of the meeting, my friend remarked that I had “the gift of counseling!” I chuckled at his compliment, but it also made me wonder. While I haven’t found that phrase in the Bible, I’ve come across a synonym: “wisdom.”

If my counseling was a blessing, it was only because Jesus had expressed His wisdom through me. But how did He do that? I didn’t hear His voice. I spoke no prophecies. All I did was provide a different perspective.

We can get caught up in personal problems for so long we can’t imagine there’s a way forward. But that’s what God offers through His Son. He understands our predicament but He’s not restricted by it. He has a different perspective than we do. The first chapter of the book of James describes how we can access divine wisdom that differs from what we’re used to.

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.” – James 1:1

When we’re suffering, we’re inclined to feel that no one understands. What we’re going through seems unique.

But Christianity is global, so followers of Jesus are everywhere. This means that somewhere, some believers have experienced problems like ours. God helped them and He will uphold us, too.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1:2-3

I don’t relish tests, but I can put up with them. To me, trials aren’t treats. I rejoice when they’re over, not while I’m in the middle of them.

But God sees our situations in a different light. While we incline toward the pain and difficulty, the Lord prioritizes our perseverance. When we press on, we outlast the tests.

And we gain even more.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:4

When circumstances aren’t going according to our plans, we fear we’re not up to the challenge. We’re scared we’ll fail and let down God and others. We’re disappointed in ourselves. And in God, too?

Endurance doesn’t guarantee the success of the solutions we try; instead, it helps us grow in Christ. In God’s perspective, the more Christlike we become, the more we’ll have everything we need.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5

Asking for help means we’re falling short. And that sense of embarrassment keeps us stuck in our problems. Checking out the internet yields millions of suggestions. Which ones are right? Now we can add confusion to our embarrassment!

But God’s not angry with us. He’s happy to help and He has a lot to offer.

We need to ask.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” – James 1:6

Trials can make us doubtful. Under pressure, we suspect God is as unpredictable and unstable as our circumstances. He isn’t, but it’s easy to see why we would think this way. However, the Greek word translated “doubt” gives us an insight.

The verb diakrino can mean to judge (1 Corinthians 11:29), discern (Matthew 16:3), doubt (Matthew 21:21), or decide (1 Corinthians 6:5). It can even mean to take issue with or dispute (Acts 11:2).

When we don’t know what to do, we wrestle with internal debating, doubting, and hesitating. Our scattered minds are desperate. The solution to a seasick soul is to get on solid ground! And we do that by turning to Jesus. We must adopt His mindset, be open to His perspective, and trust His heart. That sounds like a big step, but remember–He’s a big God!

“That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” – James 1:7-8

How often do people blame themselves for their trials? They think God is punishing them for some hidden sin. These verses sound cold or cruel but they’re not. God isn’t offended by us. If anything, it’s the opposite. We’re offended at God. Enduring a trial suggests that the Lord doesn’t care about us. So we shut Him out. We close ourselves off from His presence. The Lord wants to answer our prayers, but only if we surrender to Him without reservation.

It’s all too common for us to pray about something and then continue to analyze the problem as though we didn’t pray. Which will it be? Do we want the Lord’s help or not? If so, we have to turn things over to Him and trust Him. When we do, Christ will do for us what only He can. 

Prayer doesn’t negate our need to make decisions, but it does enable us to inform them with God’s perspective. And sometimes, His perspective is not what we would have expected. It’s different, but over time, it can become ours, too.

And that’s a great victory.