Lesson 2: Rising Above Troubles
Read James 1:2-12 - www.bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.esv

 Have you ever heard the saying, “When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade!” This statement is actually Biblical in principle. Many in the Bible turned defeat into victory, trial into triumph. Instead of being victims they were victors.

We have all gone through life and had scrapes, bruises, and lumps, and had the wind knocked out of us. Even as adults we get wounded by marriage partners, crippling accidents, or the sudden death of someone close to us. We sometimes lose employment and it hurts. We hurt from cutting remarks that leave us bleeding on the inside.

*What did these men say about adversity:
*Job– Job 14:1 _____
*David – Psalm 34:19 _____ 
*Paul – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 _____

Last lesson we saw that James was addressing Jewish Christians who were literally bruised with adversity. They were being hunted under the persecution brought by Emperor Claudius. They were being chased from their homes and homeland. They were constantly being treated with hostility by Gentiles who hated them for being Jewish and by Jews who hated them for being Christians. These believers were bruised and battered by troubles that wouldn’t go away. James in his letter goes to work setting broken and bent attitudes and binding up bruised spirits with the Great Physicians truth about troubles.


What do we think about Troubles?
-Some believe they are a form of punishment from God.
-Others promise that if you can reach a certain level of spirituality all your troubles will go away.
-Some say there is no such thing, it is a figment of your imagination (speak it into existence).

James says – James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds;” he didn’t say “if” he said “when” - I Peter 4:12. They have a purpose – James 1:3-4 – “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.”

We have to stop viewing problems as bothersome offenses and start seeing them as tests. Tests specifically designed by God to stretch our faith - not just our pocketbooks, friendships and health. Rather than seeing them as our enemies we should look upon them as servants that bring about the circumstances that help us grow. More in the next lesson.