“HOW TO REMAIN POSITIVE

WHEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF LIFE - Part I”

James 1:2-8

My mother used to say when it rained really hard, “The bottom dropped out.” What she meant was all the rain seemed to be coming down at the same time and in the same place. I’ve heard it said that in 1929 the bottom fell out of the stock market. When the severe trials of life seem to open up on you, do you sometimes feel like the bottom has dropped out of life? Everything that is unpleasant in life is coming upon you at the same time. Is it possible to be positive in life when you are going through these times? If so, how?

1. Accept the fact of trials (verse 2) - Sometimes you have to force yourself to do this.

The text says “when”, not “if”. Trials are not an elective in God’s school. They are a required subject. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in the faith, God tests all His children - but not in the same way nor at the same time.

How are we to consider trials as a source of joy? Only as we are able to look beyond their intensity to see their intent (Hebrews 12:2). This is the first step in remaining positive when the bottom drops out of life.

2. Understand the work of trials (vs. 3-4)

With regards to your faith. (v. 3) - Scripture knows nothing of “fair weather faith walkers.” Can we honestly claim that we are walking by faith when the sun is always shining and we can always see where we are going? Can we say we are walking by faith when the unpleasant elements of the storms of life are not touching us? This is sight walking. Faith is like flying a plane by instruments. The instruments must be accurate. They are the only thing that can get you through the clouds. Faith does not dispel the clouds but gives you direction through the clouds.

With regards to your life (vs. 3b, 4) - What is the testing of you faith designed to accomplish? There is a developing process that takes place when faith is tested.

• To develop stability. The testing of the believer’s faith produces a steadfastness along the treacherous roads of life. Like football shoes it gives us traction so we don’t slip (v. 3). But this is not an end within itself: patience, steadfastness and endurance also have a work - an all encompassing work - the completion of the process.

• To mature our character and to give us a well rounded life (cf. Romans 8:28, 29). “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Knowledge must be put into perspective in a practical way. We are to know certain things and their purpose. Our character needs maturing. That fact will always be true. In this life we never max out in our maturity. There is never a time when we don’t need the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A person can go through a lot when he knows why. This is the work of trials.

This is quite an order. Who is sufficient for it? If we are honest in our evaluation we probably are saying, “I need wisdom other than my own to help all this knowledge to jell.” If this is true, then you’ve realized a need to look at life from God’s viewpoint. This leads us into an element of prayer which we will look at next week.

Love to you all.