Evidence Of Our Faith

James 5:7-11

Our society doesn’t like to believe that trouble is normal, Yet Jesus told us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” in John 16:33. James 1:2-4 explains the purpose of the trouble. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Through the trials, we develop patience, learning to trust God even though the results are not immediate. As patience grows and produces obedience despite obstacles, we become fully developed, mature Christians. All too often, we try to make things happen, because we don’t trust God. King Saul made that mistake in I Samuel 13:5-14.

“And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

“When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”

When Samuel asked him what he’d done, notice that Saul said he’d forced himself to offer the sacrifice. He knew it was against God’s command, but he didn’t want to wait to do what God had said because he was afraid he’d lose to much support. His faith as tied to how many he had in his army, not on the power of God, so he had to keep his supporters happy, even by disobeying God. Samuel said that failure to wait on the Lord would cost him the kingdom.

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” (James 5:7-9)

There is a temptation to quit serving God and devote our energies to making a living as we realize that the Lord may not come immediately. Some even turn their backs completely. Hebrews 10;35-38 stresses that the reward will come at the proper time. We just need to continue to obey till that time. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Those who quit serving God will not receive rewards.

Sometimes we begin to feel envy as others appear to have more or be more blessed than ourselves. Galatians 5:25-26 warns against that attitude. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Rather than looking at other’s rewards, we need to check out our own efforts, whether we have done our jobs. Galatians 6:4-5 commands, “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” Every person has to carry his own share, and will be rewarded for his own efforts. “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” (I Corinthians 3:8) Some of those who seem to have a lot may have nothing in heaven.

Some of the trials we go through are totally unfair. We are falsely accused of wrongdoing, or our mate leaves us for no valid reason, a child dies, or some horrible disease develops. The possibilities are endless, but the point is that you didn’t deserve the problem. This is exactly the situation we need to not get upset about. I Peter 2:20 says these are the things God blesses us for enduring. “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” Don’t throw away the rewards because the problem doesn’t seem fair.

“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” (James 5:10-11)

II Thessalonians 1:4-5 says that the patience in unfair trials is evidence of the reality of our salvation, and of deserving eternal life. “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:”

What evidence are you showing?