1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:1-18 ESV ~ https://my.bible.com/bible/59/JAS.1.1-18

What do you like about this passage?

Verse 2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

That as we go through trials and keep our eyes on Jesus and his examples, our faith is strengthened and we will be perfected and complete, and we will lack nothing.

What is difficult about this passage?

Also Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I personally do not like being on trials, something is going to be judged, and a verdict pronounced. From that point, something has to change, or we are testing to repeat the trial again. Sometimes we might be the defendant other time the one bring the case to the court. No one likes to be told that they are doing wrong and they need to change.

What does this passage tell me about God?

God is good and all he does is good, has rewards for his follower if we stay steadfast under trials, we will receive blessings. As a good Father, God desired to give us all his goodness, provision, and miracles, we just need to follow him and obey this direction for our lives. As a father my self I desire to pour out blessings unto my daughter, even when there is time she makes decisions I would not agree with. There are some times I would hold back those blessings because of her disobedience, sometimes those blessings were held in reserve until I saw a change, other times the event or item has passed and I was unable to give them.

What does the passage tell us about People?

We want to go our own way without considering God’s way. This is one of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s transgression in the garden when they ate of the Tree of Good and Evil.

What are you going to do with this passage / your personal revelation?

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

Personally, I have to be aware of the areas of my life that can be a temptation or what is my own desires. So this week I will take a personal inventory of what desires are leading away from God’s prepose and plan for my life. Then take action to remove the area of temptation.