Faith solves the Roller Coaster Ride!

I guess it's true, what the first chapter of James talks about! Sometimes you wan't to wonder why on earth James would say, Consider it Joy when you face various trials. Does that sound sane to most? Probably not, consider it joy when things get tough. Is that a message people want to hear during the most trying times of their lives or during hard/uncertain/uncomfortable situations? More than likely not, but this is what James goes on to say-

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; 8 they are double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:1-7

This speaks volumes, more so for the believer than non believer, but speaks to all people alike. In summary trials birth something. Trials birth faith, because when circumstances are huge and nothing is possible by men, but only possible by God, the mustard seed of faith is grown. To each individual God gives us a measure of faith to believe, but if it's not stretched we will always have the same measure. It's like given the alphabet, but if never asked to learn to read, we will never put it to use. Something along those lines. But when trials come look to the positive side of things because, it requires a. either our faith to grow b. become angry or disappointed. The bible discusses many people who had faith, but if you notice a lot of people had to be committed to their beliefs, even when they didn't see it, it was there. That's against our nature, but it can become our nature through trust and seeing outside our circumstances. There comes a point when we have to realize that God is simply just bigger than what we are facing. Then after believing faith will be grown, and that   it will tag on to you an amount of maturity. Faith equals faithfulness on our part. If we have faith to believe we will continue to believe which is also faithfulness or commitment. We won't be up and down. Personally I like how James goes on to say when you doubt you are double minded, you are like a wave and the sea blown and tossed by the wind.(paraphrased). What does this say to me? It speaks a lot to me. There are days when my faith rules out my vision, but there are days when my flesh does. What does this produce? A rocky roller coaster, just like James said, blown and tossed by the wind. One day I am on a high, believing God's salvation, believing God for victory, believing God for healing, believing God's promises, the next day on a low, believing lies of the enemy, believing my circumstance, believing in my good (or not so good) works. This is an example of a spiritual roller coaster, spiritual up's and down's. Too many times, myself, and I'm sure others become the double minded man, blown and tossed by the wind. What does that mean exactly? To me it says that when we don't have full faith in God, which means we doubt, that we are controlled by our circumstances, they govern and dictate our mindsets, day, personality, everything. Doubting, equals a wild up and down ride. Christian bi-polar disorder, visiting the north and south poles. One day positive, next day negative. The doubting man, unstable in ALL his ways. That's why trust and faith in God is so important, doesn't mean every day is going to be the greatest day, but it does mean that we can remain constant, because His promises are constant. When things look tough, we can know that specific gloom and doom isn't everything, it's not our future, not our purpose, not who we are, not the way things have to go. We can believe beyond what everything is screaming out to be. Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. His promises are real and when faced with hard times, it is crucial to believe on those things that are above, those things that are true, those things that are of eternal worth, because then we will show ardent faith to the world, they won't see unstable Christians, believing doubting, and repeat. we are not to be like instructions on the back of the shampoo bottle that says, lather, rinse and repeat, but we are to believe, believe, believe. Lot's of difference. I need help to not be a bi-polar Christian, people who I am a witness to obviously get really confused when I am happy go lucky faith gung-ho and then the next day acting like an eeyore (depressed, self piteous animal on winnie the pooh) or something! The last few weeks have been hard, financially, physically, and spiritually. So pretty much everything around me has been a little hay wire, today I just choose to breathe and know that God has big plans for the Women of Worship conference tomorrow and the next day and the next day after that, and that circumstance seriously doesn't define who Carrie Tucker is (or whatever person is reading this), but it only grows my faith if I allow it. These hard and trying times are helping me to become a more faithful believer in Jesus Christ, and to the Faithful, He (God) is faithful! (scripture somewhere in the O.T, psalms maybe)! So like the Rita Springer song says, I have to believe for healing and that God will supply all of my needs! Someone once told me that if I take care of God's business, then He will take care of mine. Yesterday I was reading in a Joyce Meyer's book about how God takes care of birds. Birds has a need in order to live, but they don't go around worrying all the time, they just praise God and he takes care of them. Wow, if He does that, then He must want to take care of those people who He was in pain for, died for, persecuted for, lived for, and intercedes for. How much more does He love His kids and want to take care of them. So today, I just stand, saying God is going to heal me or make a provision for something to happen and that all things work together for the good of those who Love God and Who are called according to His purpose, notice that is ALL things, not some, but everything will work out. Faith is being stretched, maturity is the reward, and double-mindedness is being weeded out, that's joy right there. I can say now that I agree with what James was saying. I count it all joy!

Jesus, I ask more than anything you help me not to be double minded. Help me not to be spiritually bi-polar, showing the world instability as a Christian. Help me to let my faith grow when you want it to. Help me to play on the offensive side rather than the defensive side. I believe you for healing, because you gave me this head and you can take care of it! Thanks for helping me realize things and for letting me be on the winning side of the game!

12 Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.