Lesson 3: Rising Above Troubles (part 2)
Read James 1:2-12 - www.bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.esv

God is not interested in watching our faith get destroyed by trials. What He does desire becomes clear when we understand the meaning of the word “testing”. It means “approval.” It was found on the bottom of many pieces of ancient pottery being unearthed in the near east. This mark meant that the piece had gone through the furnace without cracking and it had been approved. God’s desire is to help clay vessels created in His image to mature in the furnace of trials without a crack.

In every trial, God’s initial purpose is to produce “endurance”. This comes from a combination of 2 words that put together literally mean “to abide under”. God wants to put his Good Faith-keeping Seal of Approval on those who persevere. Enduring the tests is what brings maturity, which is God’s ultimate purpose for our lives - see James 1:4.

How do we Rise above Troubles?
-Count – James 1:2
-Know – James 1:3
-Let – James 1:4, 9-11
-Ask – James 1:5-8

A man who survived a prison camp said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”


Count means having a joyful attitude - James 1:2. Outlook determines outcome and attitude determines action. “meet trials” means to encounter or come across. Diverse means multi colored, various, polka dot. His work, like a weaver making rugs, is not finished. Don’t judge the work by looking at the wrong side. “Count” is a financial term meaning to evaluate. When we go through trials we must evaluate them in light of what God is doing for us. Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort over character, trials will upset us. If we value the physical and the material more than the spiritual we will not be able to count it all joy. If we live for the present and not the future we will become bitter instead of better. Job had the right attitude (Job 23:10). Start out with the right attitude.

“Know” means having an understanding mind - James 1:3. What do Christians know that makes it easier to endure trials and benefit from them? “We know” that faith will always be tested, like Abraham’s was. Satan tempts us to bring out the worst, God tests us to bring out the best.

*How do trials work for us? See 2 Corinthians 4:17 and Romans 8:28: _____
In our next lesson we’ll study Knowing and Letting.