Even the most difficult times can have a godly effect on us - when we ask God for wisdom: ‘Lord, what are You teaching me in this?’(2-5). Humanly speaking, we may be ‘in humble circumstances’. Spiritually speaking, we are in a ‘high position’(9). Our position is to become even higher - ‘the crown of life’(12). Before that happens, there will be many temptations (13-15). We can face these temptations with confidence in the God of faithfulness and His ‘Word of truth’(16-18). God’s ‘Word’ is ‘planted in us’ so that we may become ‘doers of the Word, and not hearers only’(21-22). Don’t let God’s Word ‘go in one ear and out the other’- ‘like water off a duck’s back’. Let there be His controlling- ‘a tight rein on the tongue’, caring- looking after the needy, and cleansing- ‘unstained from the world’(26-27).

James 1:1-27