ByAs long as this earth endures, nobody is exempted from facing life challenges. Jesus knew this, so He never said we should pray to the Father about not having life issues. Instead, He told us to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Today, I want to share three attitudes to develop during challenging times in life as a child of God. It’s something I learned not long ago as I journeyed through the study of the book of James.
Apostle James began writing his epistle by addressing how to profit from life issues (James 1:2-8). Then, he continued to speak about the perspective of rich and poor (James 1:9-11). James further explained how to love God under trials from James 1:12-18. But when it came to verses 19-20, he laid out three attitudes every believer must develop when he faces life’s challenges. Before I speak about each of them, let’s read the Bible verses.
[19] So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; [20] for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20 (NKJV)
1. Be quick to hear
During challenging times in life, our ears are open to listening to several people in order to get solutions from them. That’s not wrong as long as the people you seek to hear are for you and not against you. But there’s the sovereign voice of God, who, when you listen to Him well, will never miss giving you an accurate solution to every life issue. James 5:13 says,
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
So the ideal solution given by scripture for anyone in trouble or having a life issue is to pray. I would preferably encourage you to pray first before seeking to hear from people. If you have a life partner, convince the person to join you in prayer. God can give you a direct answer to your problem but can sometimes tell you to talk to another Christian to seek help. Don’t joke with prayer.
The ideal solution given by scripture for anyone in trouble or having a life issue is to pray.
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2. Be slow to speak
One hard attitude to build during life challenges is quietness. I say it’s hard because we all know it’s not easy to keep a tight rein on the tongue. However, it’s possible once it’s written in the Word of God. And I must say Jesus proved it.
Offences are inevitable to come. But when you approach the offender with a soft answer, that issue will be resolved.
Before He was arrested and prosecuted, He prayed on the Mount of Olives. From His arrest, till He died, His words were very few. In fact, they were so few that Pilate once confronted him to say something if he wanted to be set free (John 19:10). What am I saying?
The issues of life can make your heart so troubled that you can utter harsh words in reaction to it. Why? Because the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45). So being silent in times of trouble saves you from letting others become affected by your hurts. And again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak to anybody. Instead, meditate on the Word of God, and pray for God to reveal His purpose for allowing (not “bringing”) you to face that issue in your life. Once you know it, you’ll have a renewed mindset, and you’ll learn new things about the God-life you carry that you may never have known.
3. Be slow to wrath
Wrath just means anger. During life challenges, especially the ones related to offences, you can become easily angered with the offender. Well, anger is not a sin, and neither is it a blessing. However, you must not allow it to overrule you. The question is, “how can you be slow to anger?”
It’s simple: let your heart remain filled with God’s Word. When your heart is full of God’s promises and words, there’ll be no space for the devil to use any part of it to stir up anger in you. Offences are inevitable to come. But when you approach the offender with a soft answer, that issue will be resolved. Give no chance to the devil. Your life is precious to the Lord and to many others.
After reading all these things, I pray that they would permeate your spirit, and the Lord will bring it to remembrance when you face issues in life. Print it, pray with it, and share it with others. You’re a blessing.
