"STRESS IS PREDICTABLE"

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:1-4)

“The temptations/trials in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted/tried, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) [NLT]

Open:

What is the most stressful situation you have ever been in? What made it so stressful?

Back Ground Comments:

Every once in a while someone comes into my office and says to me, “I have a real hard time with a specific passage in the New Testament.” Then they reference James 1:2, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds ...” Then they follow it up with this question, “What am I supposed to do with this text in the Bible that tells me to be filled with joy over the tragedies and stresses it brings into my life?” They look at me square in the eyes and say, “I just lost my job.” Or, “I just lost my mother to a battle with cancer, and to be honest with you, I’m pretty far from being joyful about it!”

Some people try to set me up by asking a leading question. They say, something like this, “Ruben, do you really think God wants me to be genuinely honest?” If I say, “Generally yes,” they get a look in their eyes that says to me, “I’ve got you now!”

They say, “We have a huge desire to have a baby and just this week we found out that we are not able to.” Or, my brother got killed this past week in a drive by shooting.” Or, “My husband has been having an affair for the past three months and has decided to leave us for the other woman.” And then they tell me of their sorrow. Genuine, real, deep sorrow.

Then comes the bomb: “Does this section of the Bible really say that I should be joyful about this suffering? How does this passage of the Bible fit in with what I am facing in my life?

What I have discovered over the years is that these people are usually not looking for a biblical sparring partner. Rather, they are looking for real, deep, and lasting answers to the aching in their hearts. They want to know what god has to say to them in the middles of their pain and stress. If there is any joy or peace to be found in the middle of the storm and stress they are experiencing, they want to know about it.
    

Explore:

Describe a difficult or painful experience when your heart hungered to find meaning, peace, and even joy in the middle of the crisis and stress.

Get it:

How can trials, stress and difficult times develop perseverance in a follower of Christ? Have you experienced this in your own life?

Apply:

James says that perseverance will lead to maturity and completion. See (v. 3). How has God been growing perseverance in your life in the past year? How have you matured as a follower of Christ through this time of perseverance?

Quoted from”Life Application Bible”,  Illumina, Serendipity Bible and “Live Wisely" by Bill Hybels