Trials and Joy

If you've ever been on a mission trip (and you have, or else you wouldn't be doing this one), you know that there are times during the trip that require an extraordinary amount of patience and endurance. The work is hard. The others on the trip might get on your nerves. The food might not be your first, second, or fourteenth choice. The weather may not cooperate. Whatever the case, your patience and endurance will be tested.

Click here to read from James 1 (there are two versions on this link. It's only three verses, so read both versions).

A couple things about this passage:

• I do not think that it is God who sends the trouble or trials. In the story of Adam and Eve, it is humans who make a mess of the world. God then tells them the new reality they created. Yet God works within the mess to restore a relationship with His creation. He takes bad things and turns them into good (Romans 8:28 - Go ahead and click the verse to read it).
• James is not telling people to put on a fake smile (grin and bear it). There is a joy that people who experience Christ gain that surpasses all understanding, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. There is a time for mourning. Yet, even in mourning, joy can be attained, because it's different than happiness. It's almost like James is saying, "Don't get discouraged when trials come, because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This trial will eventually lead to making you better if you come through it well."

Two ways to respond (do both in the comments section below):

1. Write down something that you need prayer for, a current trial or trouble in your life. In doing so, we will be able to pray for you daily.
2. Think ahead to this mission trip. Write down one or two things that you think will test you the most during the trip. Then begin to pray that God will already be working in those situations and in your heart so that they will not become a stumbling block for us.

The Measure of a Disciple

What's the one resolution that if you keep it, you know God will be pleased. Here are some of the most common New Year's Resolutions made:

1. Getting in shape. The most "fit" guy in the Bible would probably be Samson, and his life was a mess.
2. Getting finances under control. Jesus told a story about a rich guy who had his best year ever. He tore down his barns and built new, bigger ones to store all of his stuff. But he ends up dying soon after, and Jesus calls him a fool. He was real rich but didn't honor God.
3. Career/educational success. Solomon had more success and wisdom than anyone, but in the end considered it all worthless.

There is one word, one thing that Jesus calls His disciples to. This is the only way to measure a true disciple. That one word has been written about, sung about, thought about, and cried about more than any other word or idea. The thing that Jesus calls His disciples to is LOVE.

That may seem so elementary to us. It may seem like, "Yeah, of course. I know that." But how many of us live it? Love, the kind that Jesus is talking about, has no boundaries. It does not discriminate based on any line of social status, race, age, or anything else. Love says, "If I see a hungry person, I will feed him/her regardless of how they feel about me. If I see someone in need, I will do what I can to meet the need, no matter who they are and what they believe."

Changing gears for a second: It takes about 10,000 hours to master one skill. This has been studied (somehow) and shown that people who are truly great at their craft, skill, sport, whatever, they have spent at least 10,000 hours practicing, fine tuning, working, sweating. It takes a lot of work to be great at something.

Now focus your attention on the disciples. As best that we can tell, they followed Jesus for about three years. Let's say they spent 10 hours a day with Jesus (the other 14 were spent sleeping, or going about some other business as they did when Jesus was at the well with the Samaritan woman). Then, let's say they had 25 leave days a year (sick days, vacation, travel, etc...). 3 years X 10 hours/day X 340 days/year = 10,200 hours.

But what exactly were the disciples mastering. Well, after those 10,000+ hours the disciples spent with Jesus, these were His words:

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples (John 13:34-35).

How did Jesus love us? He gave us all of Himself. We didn't hold anything back. Even when we aren't "nice" to Him, or we hurt Him--even when we deny Him (as Peter did), He continues to love us. My question is this: How are we doing with love? The thing with love is that it doesn't discriminate, but it actually starts with the people closest to you (who can be the hardest to love). It starts with your parents, siblings, and whoever else you see daily. Not them loving you, but you loving them.

How to Respond

1. Write out a simple prayer asking God to help you to master this thing we call love.
2. Write down one way that you will show someone that you love them this week (start with someone in your family!).