How to view trials 

James 1.2  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, "

 

Why should I view them with pure joy? 

James 1.3-4  "because 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."

 

What to do when I don't know how to handle the trial? 

James 1.5  "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."

 

What is the one reason why God won't give me wisdom on how to handle a trial when I ask for it? 

James 1.6-8  "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. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

 

What is a trial? 

Anything that tests your faith.  James 1:2-3  "...trials of many kinds ... testing of your faith"

 

What attitude about the trial should I have? 

Matthew 6.10  "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. "

Luke 22.42  "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

 

What is a sign I'm not handling trials correctly? 

Philippians 4.6-7  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 

What should I do then? 

1 Peter 5.7  "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"

 

What should I be focused on? 

Hebrews 12.1-2  "... let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith"

 

What was Jesus focused on? 

Hebrews 12.2  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

 

What will keep me from losing heart?

Hebrews 12.3  "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart"

 

In my struggle against sin what two extremes should I avoid?

Hebrews 12.5-6  "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:  "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

 

How should I view hardship?

Hebrews 12.7  "Endure hardship as discipline;"

 

Why?

Hebrews 12.7-8  "... God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. "

 

So when God our Father disciplines us we should do what?

Hebrews 12.9-10  "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness."

 

What will happen if we submit?

Hebrews 12.11  "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

 

What is one of the reasons for trials?

1 Peter 1.5-7  "who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

 

How to suffer?

1 Peter 2.19-23  "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

 

 

 

The truth about temptation 

James 1.13-15  "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death"