James

If the idea of submitting is hard, you’re not alone. A common misconception is to believe that submission is a state of forced surrender. This may be true in the octagon, but as co-heirs with Christ, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Although God does not cause the hardships we experience in life, there are times when He allows us to endure challenging circumstances for His glory and our benefit. Through trials and tribulations, He is refining our character to be more like His. James encourages us to gain a positive, even joyful perspective through it all because the testing of our faith produces patience, maturity, and trustworthiness. However, just because I learned my lesson does not mean I passed the test. James gives us a secret key to graduating with honors and enjoying the view from God’s perspective. So, let’s unpack this powerful scripture. The following message was inspired by Free Chapel’s School of Discipleship.