Do you feel like you’re in the middle - emotionally, financially, relationally? Your situation is better than it used to be, but you’re not where you know you’re supposed to be. 

In James 1:2-4, James tells us “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience haveits perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

For some background, the book ofJames is one of the oldest New Testament writings. James was a prayer warrior. He was also known as “Camel Knees” because his knees showed evidence of much time in prayer. He died a martyr. He was pushed from a building but didn’t die, so was beaten to death. He prayed the whole time he was being beaten. Most significantly, he was Jesus’ half-brother. Even though he grew up with Jesus, he questioned the idea of Jesus being the messiah until after he had seen miracles and the resurrection. In his book, he never refers to Jesus as his brother, but as Lord and Savior. I believe his words carry some weight.

James starts this passage with “count it all joy when”.WHEN. NotIF. We are going to face trials and they will come in all different types. Don’t be surprised when they come. It’s good to note that James is writing to converted and Jewish Christian’s who have been dispersed because of persecution. But he tells them to count it all joy!

Trials are part of life but, we tend to ask “why” when we’re going through trials.  Know this, your trial could be divine. God is not trying to take you out. He has a purpose. The goal is not to quit in the trial but to go through it. Trials are different from temptation. Temptation lures you away from faith. Divinely purposed trials are like gold in a fire. The impurities rise to the top and the dross is skimmed off…and then the gold is put back in the fire. Trials perfect our faith.

In trials we look for when it’s going to stop. We wait for God to intervene. We say “When” but James says to say “Win”. Stay with it. Go through it. Get the victory. Realize the truth that we are more than conquerors through Him. What are we winning - God’s purpose for our life fulfilled. 

How do we get through the trial? We have a choice. When you’re being hit from all sides, count it all joy. Joy is different from happiness. Joy conditions and sets the environment. Joy is the unrelenting thankful trust in God in spite of circumstances.Have feelings but don’t let feelings have you. Working on your mind, what you listen to and watch, helps you command the feelings. Don’t go by what you see. Go by faith in God. Faith is stepping out when you’re not sure, knowing God’s got you.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. The trial of the cross was on the way to the benefit. There is something waiting on the other side of your trial. The devil will work to convince you that God is not a good father and will lie to you regarding your situation. And, enduring with joy does not mean we won’t experience pain. But in joy, we will have hope and purposethrough the process. Joy yields patience. Trial produces active endurance, like a runner finishing a marathon, one step at a time. If we deal with trials opposite of faith we can become bitter, fearful, and full of doubt. It limits creativity. God is producing something in you so count it all joy, no matter what it feels like. God is more concerned with your character than your comfort. 

Set your mind and let God produce what He wants for your life. Faith is tested by trials so understand, faith is already there. All you need is alreadyin you. You are tested to reach your potential. Let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Perfect doesn’t mean without flaws but finished rightly and with better maturity, matured to the reflection and nature of its purpose, God’s will for your life. Trust that God’s got something in mind for you. 

When is faith at its finest? Is it a good church service or a much needed miracle? Is it answered prayer or when everything falls into place? No. It’s in the middle of the deepest and darkest times. Think of the three in the fiery furnace, joined by a fourth. Think of David with Goliath declaring “Who are you compared to my God?”  Think of the thief on the cross saying “I believe!” and was with Christ that same day in paradise. It was Jesus on the cross, proclaiming “It is finished”. In the middle of the trial, faith is at its finest. The trial is working for you. It is producing everything needed to bring God glory. Don’t listen to the enemy. He’ll make it someone else’s fault. He does not want you to produce and bring what you have to the world. He wants you to stop in the middle. But faith is at it’s finest, not when everything is right, not when everything feels good but in the midnight hour when God turns it around and you win. 

You’re going to have trials. Are you going to complain? Retaliate? Give up? Count it all joy.  The question to ask is “Where am I going to grow through this?” Don’t get stuck in the middle. Maybe you’re in the trial because your faith needs to be perfected.If you will furnish the faith, God will furnish the finish. Trust Him. Don’t quit. And watch how He will bring about your victory.

There is a high value placed on the dying words of a person. If you have been with a loved one as they were ready to pass from this world to the next, you probably remember the last thing they said to you. The value of someone’s dying words is even legally valuable. We have the Apostle Paul’s last words in 2 Timothy. This book is known as the last writings of Paul. It is a pastoral book written to his spiritual son, Timothy. It was written during the time of Nero who was violently against Christians, blaming and killing them for things he did. Paul had been released from prison but was in prison again for preaching and teaching the Christian faith. In filth, in a cistern, his thought was to write a letter to Timothy to challenge and encourage him. Paul knew his next step was his end, his death. It’s important for us to hear the passion and urgency Paul wants to press into Timothy. 

In this time of Nero, Timothy is experiencing cultural pressure and push back. He has shrunk back and become timid. But Paul had clarity. He writes in 2 Timothy 1:3-7 for Timothy to stir up the gift, like a fire. A flame will die into smoke and embers. To stir it up you have to feed it fuel and stir up the embers, moving them around to oxygenate and rekindle. This is a call to rekindle the flame and passion. Stir it up. 

First, to stir up your calling and gift, you have torecognizethat it is already in you. For Timothy, it was partially due to his spiritual legacy from his grandmother and mother. Like Timothy, you may want your circumstances to change, but everything you are called to do is already in you. Your calling and giftings are deposited in you by God. We each have been given a measure of faith. God’s intent and purpose and calling is in you. Circumstances around you may not fit your standards or expectations, but your calling does not rely on anything except what’s in you. 

“Failure has slain its thousands. Distraction it’s tens of thousands.” Distraction is a favorite tool of the enemy. When the pressure comes in, we get spiritual amnesia! But we have everything we need. 

It’s called a calling because it's in you and when people get around you,they call out for it. The need calls out for what’s inside of you. Regardless of your circumstances, what is needed is in you. Maybe you have wisdom to share or a passion to meet a physical need. What is it you cry out to God for? Is it cultural morality? If it bothers you and keeps you up at night, this may be the calling you need to stir up, the thing you are called to. What’s in you that drives you and you can’t even help it? 

It’s not about what you don’t have. It's about what is in you; to deal with the need that’s calling out for you.

And, it is given by God. You may have to develop and awaken, educate yourself and find mentorship for it. But God has placed something significant in you. No matter your age or generation, if you’re breathing, it’s time to do something. Recognize God has placed it in you. 

Then, remember and remind yourself. Visualize and remember. Memory is powerful. It is tied to smells, tastes, emotions, music and more. Use memory to stir up this gift in you. The way you remember is the way you live out your future, successful or unsuccessful, fearful or faithful.  Remember what God has done to you and in you. We all have a story. We have made mistakes and things have been done to us. But some keep remembering their past like it’s their present and expecting it like it’s their future. Remember your purpose not your past pain. Remember when God saved you.Remember the first time God used you and the first time you raised your hands in worship. Remember.When we remember what God has done, we will be invited to believe what God will do. Stop reminding yourself of the pain in the past. Remind yourself of what God says about you and your moments with Him. When was the last time God spoke to you and you believed He was telling you the truth? Invite yourself to believe God again. Stir it up. 

Recognize. Remember. Respond. God has his responsibility. He has given you gifts and a calling and He is faithfully keeping you, sending people to you, providing opportunities for you. But you have a responsibility. Your responsibility is to take action. When the choir and preacher have gone home, can you praise God in the midst of your situation? Can you encourage yourself in the Lord? The way to stir yourself up is to recognize your Source. It’s all about the God who is our source. We simply need to respond to His ability - response ability.Do something. It is not enough just to show up. Stir it up. Do something with your gift. Where can you serve? What can you sow? What needs can you meet? What can you start? Is there somewhere you can join? Find your purpose. Drive into that purpose. What are you doing with the gift God gave you? What are you preaching - to yourself and to others? You are responsible for it. Revival like we have just seen at colleges and universities around the nation is appetite.Be hungry and desperate for what is calling out to you. Stop waiting for circumstances to line up.Paul could have written about his own misery in that prison of death, but he chose to use his last words to call out the gifts in Timothy. He used that opportunity for hope and faith and love, not only for Timothy but for those of us who have received his words since then. 

It’s time to stir up your gift. Culture is not working for us. We have to love them to win them but love is an action. Recognize. Remember. Respond. Sometimes responding is pressing into praise and worship and praying and sharing and believing and giving and searching and forgiving because you know God will show you the next step if you keep doing what you know is right to do. When the spirit saturates the gift in you is when change will occur. Stir it up.