Dealing with Lemons

I just found out on the eve of a long deserved vacation that I will have to have surgery on my right knee when I get back home. I've already had 6 on my left knee, so now my good knee has a meniscus tear, which must be repaired alone with a severe bone bruise in that area that the doctor is not quite sure what to do about until the surgery. Man, I was perfectly healthy until a fall I had going to Camp Meeting in 2003 and since then I have had 11 surgeries as a result of that one injury. This new injury came from just walking and wearing Shape-Up shoes that I thought were going to help me, but instead have caused the need for this surgery.

We don't have the best health insurance in the world and I took a financial hit when I came to the church I am pastoring now. My wife and I both have had huge medical bills in the past few years and now I face another one with this surgery. Sometimes it just seems like the lemons keep on growing and you can get them to stop. I understand that feeling more than any of you know.

However, in the Scriptures we find people who turned defeat into victory, trial into triumph, and became victors instead of being victims. Too many people today, inside and outside of the church have the very mistaken idea that Christianity is the easy way of life. The Book of James clearly informs Christians that trials will come and that the Christian way is not easy. James does not speak as one isolated from trial, but from the own experience of trials. These trials eventually led to his death for the cause of Christ.

Yet James gives us some instructions on how to deal with it when life hands you a lemon.
-In Verse 2 James wrote "when" trials come, not "if" trials come. He is telling us that we should expect trials. That may not be what we want to hear, but it is what James wrote. Previously John had written, "In the world you have tribulation." (John 16:33) and Luke wrote "We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)

This is not a shock to us, but for those who thought the Christian life would be easy it may be a shock. Some trials come to us just because we are humans. Other may come because we are Christians. (I Peter 4:12) When James wrote this letter Christians were hated and subjected to much persecution. It was a real challenge for them to live for Christ. These trials may be doubled as external, outside adversities and inward temptations. Sometimes outward trials become occasions of temptations to sin. An example might be a person who uses the excuse of a difficulty like an accident, a serious illness, death of a loved one, or an economic crisis to blame God and doubt God's love.

In verse two I think the context primarily indicates outward trials. James wrote of encountering and falling into difficulties. The indication here is that it is not our fault that we have them and that we are to be joyful in our trial, not because of them. This is a financial term, to evaluate, goals, priorities, what matters most.

To have joy in the midst of trials involves our attitude. I encourage you to have an attitude of joy because trials will come.

-Joy is not just superficial, not surface happiness. Deep down joy involves the assurance of faith and experiencing the truth of scripture. In Verse 3 James wrote, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Faith is tested. Women and men of faith are persons whose faith has been tested by trials. Trials are a means by which our faith is tested and proved. Certainly Abraham's test with Isaac is a classic example of this. Abraham passed the test.

Know that God allows us to be tested to bring out our best, to prove that we are in fact born again sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Trials actually work for us as Christians, not against us. (Romans 8:28) Certainly this does not mean that we always completely understand the trials, but have God's assurance.

This testing process is described by James with the Greek word "dokinion". It refers to sterling silver coins, money that was of a pure genuine, unalloyed metal. Testing may be used to burn out the dross of human character and to leave us cleansed and purified.

James wrote that the testing of our faith results in endurance, in steadfastness, and unswerving constancy. He is not talking about a passive patience, but the fruit of trial, perseverance in the face of difficulty, and the staying power of life. This is for when things are tough, not a denial of the reality of problems. 

-In Verse 4 James is writing of relinquishing our will to God. We should realize that it is not all up to us, but as those who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ we should surrender that which is our to decide.

For our trials to work for us, to bring out our best God needs our consent, our will must be surrendered to Him. In the Lord's Prayer we pray, "Thy will be done…" Do we mean that or are these empty words? We may say or sing, "Love is surrender to His will" or "I surrender all." Are these expressions of our true devotion to the Lord? For God to use our trials to use our character to grow, to mature, for steadfastness to have its full effect is a process of spiritual growth.

I do not believe that it is God's will that we just accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. That is exceedingly important, but God also desires for us to continue to grow and mature spiritually through our lives. I also know that life will hand you and me some lemons. Trials will come, more to some than others. The question is how will you handle these trials. Will you allow them to defeat you? I hope not. Instead make lemonade. Turn your trials into triumphs by having an attitude of joy, faith, and submitting your will to God.