Walking Through Trials With Wisdom and Faith

When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out because that’s what’s inside. When life presses us, what comes out?  Pressure produces something valuable. God uses trials to produce mature faith.

“Joy, wisdom and faith should come out of a believer.” – Elder Tina Taylor

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Trials Are God’s Proving Ground for Genuine Faith

Trials reveal what we truly believe.

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James’ response to trials

Count it all joy.
Ask God for wisdom.
Do not waver.

If we truly believe God is wise and able, our first response will be prayer.

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Ask God for Wisdom (v. 5)

Trials expose our need for God’s wisdom.

We lack wisdom because of:

Inexperience
Difficulty applying truth
Emotion

God generously gives wisdom without criticism when we ask.

“Sometimes we don’t know simply because we don’t know.” – Elder Tina Taylor

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Ask in Faith (vv. 6–8)

Faith trusts God’s answer.
Doubt divides our loyalty between God and other voices.
The doubter is like a wave, tossed by circumstances and opinions.

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Biblical Examples

Growing Faith

Ananias
Mary
Blind Bartimaeus
Peter casting the nets again

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Wavering Faith

Peter walking on water
Naaman
Rich young ruler
Peter denying Jesus

Key Truth: Faith is not the absence of fear—it is trusting God despite fear.

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Ask yourself:
What trial are you facing?
Have you counted it as joy?
Have you asked God first?
Are you trusting God’s voice or other voices?

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Practice James 1:5–8
Identify your trial.
Ask God for wisdom.
Listen and write down what He says.
Reject competing voices.
Hold on to God’s truth through prayer, scripture, and accountability.

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Big Takeaway

Wisdom for the Wavering: Acknowledge you need the Lord’s help. Believe he will help you. Hold to His wisdom. Things come in life to PROVE to us 1) Who God is and 2) Who we are in God.