Tuesday September 25, 2018

 

I have been working out since I was a child. My father instilled this habit in my sisters and I. Going to the gym is part of my weekly routine. The curious behavior by some of the people at the gym is fascinating to me. For instance, there is this group of people who always show up at the right time. They have on the right clothes and know how to use all the equipment. However, despite their appearance and apparent experience, they never actually work out. They do plenty of talking and little to no exercise. The same phenomenon happens every Sunday in churches all over the world. Christians show up at the right time, at the right place, with plenty of knowledge. However, when it comes time to apply what they know to their daily lives, in their conduct, in their relationships, their finances, and their health, there is little to no application. James the brother of Jesus would say concerning this behavior, that faith without deeds is dead.

 

James directed his self-titled epistle to a mainly Jewish audience that showed up at the right place and time, with the appropriate faith, but who were not applying said faith. These men and women exchanged their Jewish faith to become followers of Jesus, a decision that had its repercussions. As such, they were persecuted, expelled from the synagogues, from their communities, and from their own homes. Because the persecution was so fierce, these people were scattered among the nations and subsequently, stopped living out their faith.

 

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 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. James 1:1-3 NIV

 

Present day Christians are in the same situation of these scattered men and women, questioning God in the midst of adversity. In their culture, when good things happened it meant that God had graced them and when bad things happened it meant they had fallen out of grace. In light of their persecution and struggles, it made sense to them to wonder if there was something wrong with them or with God. In their opinion, their undesirable situation meant that something had to be wrong. James however, tells them that from the perspective of God, their persecution was nothing more than God perfecting their faith. God was using their tragedies, suffering, illnesses, and their needs as tools to grow their faith. We encounter the God of our faith when we face the most difficult situations.

 

God wants to use our difficulties to grow our faith the same way we grow our muscles. Muscle strength is developed when we work our muscles to the point of exhaustion. God wants to grow our faith to the point that no matter what happens, if the world should crumble, we know that we can go on trusting and believing in the God of our faith.