rebuilding your broken world chip ingram

And even if we do realize we need help, we tend to turn to anyone and anything else before turning to God. The other issue with pride is that we never get to the point of admitting we can’t do it on our own. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). But this verse says He gives “without reproach.” It’s the difference between a child who comes crying and confessing that he broke the cookie jar and the child who arrogantly denies having been anywhere near it. Ingram points out that one of the reasons we tend not to ask God for wisdom is that we are afraid what He might tell us and that He might condemn us for bad choices we’ve made and lecture us on everything we’ve done wrong. You have to align your purpose with God’s, and follow Him single-mindedly. As James explains in verses 6-8, it doesn’t do you any good to ask for God’s wisdom if you have little or no intention of accepting it. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Ingram points out four basic steps here: 1) Admit that you’re stuck, 2) Confess that you can’t do it on your own, 3) Ask God for His supernatural wisdom, and 4) Commit to do what He tells you to do. James 1:5 is a verse I tend to overlook most of the time. But we do have the assurance that our faith will be strengthened if we learn to rely on God in the midst of the trials.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” It would be nice if we were instead promised, “This trial is only temporary, and pretty soon you’ll be past it and things will look brighter.” Unfortunately, Scripture doesn’t promise us short, easily endured trials.

I don’t know about anyone else, but verses 2-4 aren’t exactly the encouraging word I want to hear most of the time: “Count in all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. I’ve been listening to a Bible study series called “Rebuilding Your Broken World” by Chip Ingram based on James 1.

Rebuilding your broken world chip ingram