By Aaron Joseph Hall

Lately, I’ve been reading, digging in, and studying the book of James. It’s been said the book of James is like the Proverbs of the New Testament — and I couldn’t agree more! My best friend and I started a men’s small group every other Thursday. In the first week of our small group, we were studying together the following verses:

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings. Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.” — James 1:1-8

After spending a few hours studying and praying over these verses as a group we all went home. The main topic of conversation that night was trials. We all encounter them and we can’t avoid them. They will come. Sometimes sooner than later.

As soon as I walked in the door to my house that night, a trial arrived at my doorstep. Immediately, I felt achy and chills hit me like a ton of bricks. I spent the next four days fighting a high fever, and body aches, and was reminded that trials come in different ways and at different times.

I wrestled with it and questioned God (How often do we do that?). I asked the Lord, “Why?” And He gently reminded me to simply trust Him. But there was a theme while I was sick that the Lord kept bringing to mind — will I trust Him with my health?

It’s a fear I battle and it’s a fear He wanted me to surrender to Him.

Ask For Wisdom

The Lord brought to mind James 1:5: “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him” (CSB). I wanted—rather needed—God’s wisdom. I wanted to know the WHY but in His wisdom, He showed me that what I really needed was to TRUST. My WHY turned into learning to TRUST God’s way above my own. I wish He could teach me to trust Him with my health without my health being affected but God knows best, right?

Through this experience, God taught me a lot about trials and wisdom (and I’m still learning and growing). One of the lessons He kept bringing to mind was learning to answer the following question honestly: How are you really?

Most of us, when battling a trial, don’t seek God’s wisdom above all else and we don’t always answer honestly when someone asks how we are doing. We typically put on a smile at church, say all is well, and find our seat only to suffer on the inside as the storm rages, the emotions build, and we do our best to hold it all together.

Can you relate?

So, the Lord has challenged me to answer truthfully when I am in the midst of a trial and someone asks, “How are you really?”

How can anyone minister to us if they can’t relate to us?

Here are some questions to ponder if you are finding yourself in the midst of a trial right now:

1. Have I asked God for His wisdom in this trial?

2. What might God be trying to show me or teach me?

3. How can this trial grow me so that I can better relate and minister to others?

4. Do I really believe God is still good in the middle of a trial? (Be honest!)

We never graduate to be above a trial. They will always come on this side of heaven. But we can be better prepared to walk through them if we are willing to listen to God in the middle of them. God used my getting sick for a few days to teach me to be honest with myself — how am I really?

Maybe He’s doing the same with the trial you are facing right now. I’ll end with a promise from God’s Word that I cling to often when life gets hard:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10a ESV

Aaron Joseph Hall, the writer behind AaronJosephHall.com and the youth pastor at More 2 Life Ministries, resides in Okeechobee, Florida, with his wife and four children. You can connect with him on Instagram and X.