James 1:1-18 "There’s pattern that James has built into these verses which we can see if we look closely, which we might describe like this: When thisseemingly bad thing happens, God will give y...

James 1:1-18

"There’s pattern that James has built into these verses which we can see if we look closely, which we might describe like this: When thisseemingly bad thing happens, God will give you thisgood thing out of it if you’re “listening” with trust. This is more than “everything happens for a reason” philosophy. This is a kind of crazy trust in God that leads to an attentiveness to Him withinespecially our most challenging situations. It’s a trust that says, 'Whether God caused this situation or just allowed it, I know He is here with me and loves me and I am going to listen for the blessing He is speaking to me through it.' This kind of listening to God through our circumstances almost never has anything to do with attaining 'your best life now' and almost always has something to do with becoming your best self over time—which is 'a kind of first fruits of all He created.'"

Rev. Jennifer A G Layte