The James Study - Faith and Fitness Challengeنموونە

Joy: the Byproduct of Obedience

I love that James is so direct. He doesn’t sugarcoat his teachings. But that also means a lot of what he tells us is easier said than done. In chapter 1, James encourages us to be joyful in the face of trials. Great idea! Except, when I’m actually going through a tough time, I just want it to be over as soon as possible. I don’t really want to be told to ‘consider it pure joy…’

Thankfully, James explains himself as the passage unfolds. While we all prefer life to be comfortable and problem-free, the reason we can reframe our trials as blessings is because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. The truth is, we all experience difficulties in this life, and how we deal with them reflects our character. It’s worth asking yourself: How do I react when things don’t go my way? Do I question God’s goodness? Do I get angry? Then, take time to reflect on the truth that we can give thanks for pain because it produces strength. God is with you and in you, growing faith and grit.

James moves on to talk about listening to God’s Word and doing it. For most of my life, I’ve been pretty good at listening – but for years there wasn’t much doing going on. I reckoned church attendance and Bible reading made me a Christian. I was kidding myself and hadn’t grasped that faith isn’t a spectator sport but requires full participation as God changes us from the inside out. When we truly believe and commit to following Jesus, obedience to God’s Word isn’t optional. James explains that simply hearing the Word but ignoring its implications for your life is as pointless as looking in the mirror then walking away and forgetting what you look like. If you’ve realized you’re just a church spectator, what’s your next step? What one thing could you begin to do today?

In chapter 2, James gives us a great example of not simply hearing but actually obeying God’s Word. He talks about not favoring certain people above others, challenging us with the truth that if we really love Jesus, we’d treat all people the way He did. Practically, this means not trying to rub shoulders with the rich or influential (while cold-shouldering the less lovely in our communities). It can also look like leaning into the prompting of God’s Spirit when it occurs to us to be generous to someone. We need God’s help as we examine our motives and seek justice. He commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves – and our neighbor is everyone (even those on social media whose opinions are radically opposed to ours). Thankfully, joy is the byproduct of trusting God through difficult seasons of life, and joy is the byproduct of obeying His commands.

First the Word – now the Workout:

• 400-meter run

• 25 sit-ups

• 100 ft bear crawl

Repeat 4x