James 1:20-27 She's gonna blow!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james%201:20-27&version=31

We all have times in our lives when we are living ‘under pressure’. Pressures of personal lives, home life, church life, work life. Normally, we are able to manage and keep ourselves ‘under wraps’ so to speak. Occasionally, we have pressure cooker experiences when multiple pressures are applied and something happens that causes the lid to come flying off! All the contents in the pot end up on the ceiling, and someone just got hit with the lid! Sadly, many of us have had regrettable times when we ‘blew up’. The problem becomes when we excuse these explosions in our lives. It is not only a problem for us, but also those around us who have to endure it. We need to be aware of is this; the contents of the heart burst forth from the mouth when sufficient pressure is applied. Such as when we hit our thumb with a hammer and unexpected expletive may leap away from us. We rationalize that these isolated responses ‘are not really ‘us’, it was heat of the moment. However, it can be these kinds of experiences that bring to the surface the things that we have kept in the dark. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known (Matt 10:26).

We seek to avoid or deny these inner dark spots, but it would seem, that although God may not ‘will’ difficult events upon us, He oft uses them as opportunities to reveal what ‘lies hidden within’. Things that we wish to keep buried, God ‘pushes’ to the surface where we must confront and deal with them. We are not to despair of these times; in fact, it is God’s desire that they would be an encouragement – urging us on in the development and healing of our character. It is like…um … okay, sorry, a zit on our face. It is annoying, it hurts, it gets increasingly sore and red until one day we squeeze it, and out pops the contents. A rather unpleasant experience, but it must be dealt with or infection can set in. The problem is when we are not dealing with the infection, and the festering just starts all over again until the next unfortunate release on some hapless soul who is in our path.

Our inner lives need the Holy Spirit cleanser, to constantly be washing way the impurities that continually lodge themselves in our hearts. Difficult, absolutely! But essential. That is why James tells us that if we are struggling we are to ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us. The warning is don’t ask just for the sake of asking or as a way of ‘easing our conscious’. Be sure you’re a) wanting His wisdom, and b) willing to apply it. We all have pressures in our lives regardless of our position or role in life – and we all tend to think ours are greater than another. We must recognize we are prone to see the imperfects of another, and completely miss (or excuse) the zits in our own lives that are exploding. Messy gross picture to be sure, but when our responses and relations are driven by pressure build ups this is an accurate illustration of others experience with us. It is not right, nor fair that others deal with our outbursts.

We can never say ‘this is who or how God made me’ or ‘we can’t help it’ or ‘it is your problem’ or any other rationalization we placid ourselves with. How others experience us as a follower of Christ is very close to His heart. God wants the ‘good and perfect’ to flow forth from us and be the result of the testing. He desires that this testing would increasingly be transforming our character.. We all have a distance to travel. Let us not weary in doing good, but press on with the transformation into Christ’s image.

Challenge: We end today with James well know words “My Children, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight. Let us put this verse to memory this week. In communications with each other, our relationships, our responses, let us to bring it under His Lordship. Our goal is not to ‘keep things bottle in’, but, that we would allow Him through His testing of us, bring these things to light, in His presence, where healing and character building can occur.


Prayer: Father, search me and try me, see if there is any wicked way in me. Help me to see through Your eyes my inward parts. May the meditation of my heart, and the words of my mouth be filled with Your mercy and grace. Cause me to quickly seek Your forgiveness, the forgiveness of others – and may I forgive, as You have forgive me.

Neil