May 9 | James 1:2-4, 12-18

Jennifer Jerrome
May 8
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

Truth, Not Temptation

By Jennifer Jerrome

The Book of James is short & sweet – five chapters that hit the basics of Christian life. A good fit for today’s “quick bite” society. An AI overview states…

This book is one of the 21 epistles in the New Testament, traditionally attributed to James the Just, the brother of Jesus. It is a letter or didactic work intended for Jewish Christians outside Israel, focusing on the practical application of faith and emphasizing the importance of actions.

The beginning of Chapter 1 is titled, “Trials and Temptations.”

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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (v. 2-4).

This week throughout Daily Worship we have been focusing on “Hope in Affliction.” An easy conclusion is that in life we face hardships, but through faith we find hope.

Oh, how I wish it were that simple. Or maybe it is.

Testing » Perseverance » Maturity » Crown of Life

Obviously, perseverance is important to James. It’s what leads believers to maturity. But another key takeaway is that God is not the one doing the testing/tempting.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone (v.13).

Moreover, God does not change like shifting shadows (v.17). He’s consistent and genuine. He gives us truth, not temptation.

Now there have been times I’ve cried out, “Father, why are you testing me?”

A shift in thinking might allow me to see that God is not throwing stumbling blocks in my path like some kind of spiritual obstacle course. He’s not sitting back to watch and judge how I react.

Do crappy things happen? Yes.

So, what do we do when life gets messy? We grab on to what’s close. For believers, hopefully that’s faith, but in all honesty, there are many times I’ve grabbed on to other things. Do they bring me comfort? Maybe temporarily, but they slip through my fingers like sand. Sometimes all I can do is reach out for someone nearby who has faith enough for the both of us until I get my footing.

PRAYER

Thank you to all those fellow believers out there who’ve carried me to Jesus when I struggled to “let perseverance finish its work.” May we remind each other daily that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (v. 16). And thank you Father for giving us the wisdom to recognize deceit. Your truth is what keeps us going. Amen

Find additional "Dying to Live" study materials designed for small groups or individual use here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JENNIFER JERROME

I have known I was a child of God from the beginning. I was baptized and raised in the Catholic church and began attending UALC about 18 years ago when my husband I were searching for a place to worship and serve as a family. UALC has helped shape our faith over the years. We have been through several seasons of life and the constant has been our faith and family.