Wisdom for a Stressful Life by Calvary Church

James 1:5 wisdom for a stressful life Sermon Outline

I. Introduction Have you ever wanted to sit down with God in the middle of a difficult situation and ask him some questions, such as “Why is this happening, Lord?” Stressful situations often bring confusion and the fear of the unknown. Whether it is watching a loved one suffer at the end of life; dealing with unfair bullying at school; or struggling with entrenched opposition at work – such situations can cause our minds to be filled with questions.

II. James 1:2-12 James 1:2-12 specifically talks about wisdom from God in the middle of stressful trials and difficult situations of life. Two questions are important: What can you ask God for difficult situations and what should you expect to receive when you ask?

III. What kind of wisdom can we ask God for when we are in a stressful situation? James doesn’t give any more specific information but what does he envision? James is writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. At the end of this chapter he encourages them to look carefully into the word of life – which are the Scriptures. James uses stories from the Old Testament like Abraham, Rahab, and Elijah as illustrations, so it is safe to say that he would expect his readers to answer the question, “what does it mean to ask God for wisdom in the midst of trials” by looking at examples from the Scriptures.

IV. Four examples from the Scriptures of asking God for wisdom in the midst of difficult situations: a. Wisdom to know why something is happening. In Genesis 25 we read the story of Rebekah, a very beautiful young Aramean woman. Rebekah had already experienced God’s guidance. A few years earlier, a strange man approached her at a well and asked her for a drink. Being hospitable, she gave him a drink of water. Then something stirred within her and she offered to water all his camels as well. At the time Rebekah did not know that the Lord was superintending over all her actions, displaying conclusively that He had selected her to be Isaac’s wife. Once married she discovered that she was barren. Her husband, Isaac, prayed and she miraculously became pregnant with twins. As the pregnancy progressed the twins wrestled and jostled, and Rebekah became exceedingly worried. Finally, Rebekah decided to ask the Lord for wisdom. The Old Testament way of saying this is she “inquired of the Lord.” “Why is this happening to me,” she asked him. She did exactly what James is talking about: she asked God for wisdom in the midst of her trial. The Lord told her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other and the older will serve the younger (v. 23).” All rights reserved. © by Jim Samra. A limited license is granted for pastors and teachers to use in the course of sermon preparation and in church campaigns.

b. Wisdom to know if there was something I did to cause the trial. In 2 Samuel 21, David is ruling as king over Israel and Judah. After three years of famine, David became concerned and asked his advisors. He asked, “Have I done anything to offend God? Is there a sin that my people have committed?” When his advisors could not give him an answer, David turns to God and seeks guidance and wisdom from him. The Lord says, “it is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” Now this is shocking. The famine that David and the people were suffering was the result of something that Saul did years ago before David was king. In fact by this point, Saul has been dead for at least seven years. How would David know that this was the cause of the trial they were enduring? Because he asked the Lord for wisdom. c. Wisdom to know how something is going to turn out. In 1 Kings 14 the son of Jeroboam, the king of Israel, is sick. Jeroboam sends his wife to ask Ahijah, the man of God, whether their son will live or not. God prepares Ahijah ahead of time with the answer. It was a devastating answer, but God was very specific. The boy was not going to live. In fact he would die the moment that she set foot back in her own house as a punishment for Jeroboam’s incredible sins. The point to draw from this story is that Jeroboam asked for wisdom from God to know how something was going to turn out. In the Old Testament, God is constantly being asked for wisdom about whether an illness will result in death or whether a military campaign is going to be successful. d. Wisdom to know how God will use something in our lives. In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul writes of the unique opportunity he had to be transported to heaven to experience “inexpressible things (v. 4)”. To keep him from being conceited, God allowed a messenger from Satan, a thorn in his flesh, to torment Paul. Three times Paul begged God to remove the trial that he was experiencing. In the midst of these earnest requests, God tells Paul something else: the trials that he was going through were designed by God to display God’s glory in a unique way. They would not go away.

V. What Should We Expect When We Ask God For Wisdom? James 1:5 says that God gives to all people generously without finding fault. God does not get mad when we ask for his wisdom in the midst of our trials. More than that he is generous with granting wisdom. The implication is that we should expect that when we ask God for wisdom we will get a response. Should we expect such as response today? James seems to go out of his way to say that this wisdom is given to all people. In James 5, James introduces his story about Elijah saying, “Elijah was a man just like we are” to keep us from thinking that Elijah’s stories don’t apply to us.

VI. Conclusion In the midst of trials, when we desperately want guidance and instruction from God, James 1:5 urges us to ask for it. Consider this sample prayer to ask for wisdom: “Lord, I believe what you have said in James. I know that you are generous and gracious to provide wisdom. Why am I going through this? How will it turn out? What am I supposed to learn from this? What is the cause of what I am going through? I need Your wisdom. Provide it for me however you see fit. I will trust and wait for your response.”