Built for This, Not for That

BUILT FOR THIS, NOT THAT

James 1:2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. New Living Translation

KJV 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing*. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

-We always have something to rejoice about… even these trials and tribulations

-We Were Not Built to Doubt God

-We should never be afraid to ask God anything

-We must remember what happen to persons who waver

-Your faith when applied properly won’t leave you lacking anything

God’s grace made a way when you couldn’t. God is your strength and He’ll always be greater than your greatest struggle.

You will look back with gratitude because you will realize you were stronger than you thought you were.

Don’t allow yourself to have negative permanent results from your temporary experiences.

So on those days where you feel like your progress is slow, and you feel like you are stuck where you were last year, slow down and cherish the lessons, and count the blessings.

Recollect on conversations you worked through: – with your spouse. – with your neighbor. – with your friends. – with your enemies. – with your coworkers. – with your children. Never forget those moments.

Your story is still in progress, even through the toughest moments of the process.

This is a process that builds your strength through the struggle. Trust Jesus! The fight for freedom is the fight that builds your faith.

Perhaps you’re asking yourself, how will I overcome this?

You will recognize that God is in control (Philippians 4:6–7).

The hurt you experienced that was out of your control does not have the power to keep you from being whole. So look ahead and trust.

Trust that you are still worthy of love (1 John 4:8).

Trust that love is greater than fear (1 John 4:18).

Working through the pain of having been hurt is anything but easy.

But day by day, week by week, year by year, it becomes more and more possible through the strength of God.

People change, seasons change, and your perspective changes, too.

But when you start to move forward you start to see where your strength comes from, you start to see a way through.

So through your newfound strength remember this: the struggle is real, but not permanent.