Can you hear Him in the testing?

This chapter James is helping us to understand that we will all be tested to be approved by God. During that testing the tempter is near and we must resist and later James will tell us if we do we know he will flee (4:7). God is good. He gives good things and He is speaking to us through the testing. The question is whether we can hear Him.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (James 1 v 19-21)

Can you hear Him?

I love The Message on this: “Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.”

1. Lead with your ears! Jesus often rebuked the Pharisees, ‘Have you not heard?’ They had heard God’s Word, they knew God’s Word, but had not been able to apply God’s Word to themselves individually.
2. Follow up with your tongue! How often do we speak before we listen when we come to prayer within our testing time? How can we speak when we do not know what God is wanting to say?
3. Let anger struggle along in the rear! How easy it is to be angry towards God when tested. Get rid of ‘This is not fair’ attitude.

There is one more beautifully written understanding of what James has written. “In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.”

Within the testing we may have our own opinions and desires, we may know what justice looks like and we may want the world to know it. James gives a contrast. Don’t be like that. He has already told us we were birthed by the word of truth, v18, now he says ‘accept the word planted in you’. Basically let God’s Word be heard within you, let it shape your responses and let the words of the prophet Jeremiah be known, “‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jer 31:33).

And finally … this will “save you” within the testing. Not only within the testing but for your whole life on earth bringing you to your ultimate salvation. Amen!