Being a dad brings on many challenges. I don’t really have to tell you that. I often find myself faced with situations that I have never been in before and don’t know how to respond or what to do. Each of my kids is different and the way I respond to each of them should be different, as well. As I face each of the situations, I often find myself thinking about James 1.
“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Nope, not that verse. I wrote about that in my last post. When I’m in the situation, joy is not the first thing that comes to mind. “Help!!!!” is more like it. “How do I get myself out of this?” is more often the thought I’m having. The part of James I typically find myself thinking about in the midst of a challenging dad moment is James 1: 5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Yep. That verse. The one that says “Help!!! I have no idea what to do next.” And, yes, that feeling extends beyond just raising kids. I often find myself in conversations or situations that I don’t know what to do. That is when I cry out for help. “God, give me wisdom to know what to do next!” We turn to God for wisdom and understanding when we get into trouble or “face trials of many kinds.” But what about the other days?
James starts out talking about the value of trials and how they work to make us stronger, then goes right into “if anyone lacks wisdom.” Proverbs closely links wisdom with understanding or knowledge. James seems to be saying that this wisdom and understanding is the secret to getting through trials, and that it is something we should be developing before we find ourselves in that situation. God is our helper, our guide. He wants to help us through the tough parts. James says God “gives generously to all without finding fault,” but we have to believe.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Put God first, seek wisdom and understanding, even on the good days, and you will be able to face these “trials of many kinds” that we come upon. We face them, and grow from them, with the wisdom from God, who gives that wisdom freely to all who ask. He wants to help us.
Unfortunately, that is a lesson I have to learn over and over again. Often, my first reaction to a problem is “what can I do to fix this.” Work harder, Put more time into the project. Ask Google or YouTube how to handle the situation. While the solutions I come up with are not bad, when I do take time to ask God, spend time in prayer and listening for God, those answers are always better than my answers.
Curtis
