Digging into James

Last December, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to enroll in our church's Women's Bible Study for this spring semester. How long was I actually going to be able to attend? Was I going to have time to do homework?

I presented these concerns to my dear husband, who gently, but firmly, told me that Bible Study was good for me and that I should sign-up. Don't worry about what you won't be able to do and just enjoy what you can learn when you are able to go.

I was happily surprised by his quick, positive, straight-forward answer. (Don't we need that sometimes? Just somebody to say "Go for it!") So I looked over the class options and decided on the class that was the most expensive and had the most homework. : ) What was Ross' response to that? "Obviously!" he exclaimed, with maybe a tinge of sarcasm, but mostly with a complex understanding of his slightly crazy wife.

That class was a Precepts Upon Precepts study of the book of James. I am soooo glad that he encouraged me- that I picked that one- and that he let me go through with it : )

We are 3 weeks into the course. I've read the book of James at least 10 times. I've read chapter 1 at least a dozen times. I've read 1:1-12 too many times to count.

Some of you are probably groaning right now. I don't blame you. That doesn't sound like much fun. But believe me. God's word is full of truth and insight. And sometimes we don't get it the first time, or the second, or the third... By reading and rereading and asking questions and looking for keywords, we begin to see His heart and His will.

And what is His heart and will for us? Well, in Chapter 1- it's that our faith become perfected. How does He accomplish that? By helping us endure through trials. "Obviously!" you say (much like my dear husband did).

Now after all that reading, I can't tell you that I totally understand why that's the way God causes us to grow. I can just tell you that it's the way He uses. And that He wants us to do it joyfully. And that we will receive a crown of life if we persevere.

Our God is a good God. His Word reveals it over and over again. I want to encourage you to read it. Just start there. Reading what the Word says. Then start asking questions and looking for answers. Start talking to people about what you're reading.

It will change your life and your heart. : )