Notes of Faith January 21, 2026
Pastor’s Pen Pulpit
June 4, 2000
“HOW TO REMAIN POSITIVE
WHEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF LIFE - Part I”
James 1:2-8
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
My mother used to say when it rained really hard, “The bottom dropped out.” What she meant was all the rain seemed to be coming down at the same time and in the same place. I’ve heard it said that in 1929 the bottom fell out of the stock market. When the severe trials of life seem to open up on you, do you sometimes feel like the bottom has dropped out of life? Everything that is unpleasant in life is coming upon you at the same time. Is it possible to be positive in life when you are going through these times? If so, how?
1. Accept the fact of trials (verse 2) - Sometimes you have to force yourself to do this.
The text says “when”, not “if”. Trials are not an elective in God’s school. They are a required subject. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in the faith, God tests all His children - but not in the same way nor at the same time.
How are we to consider trials as a source of joy? Only as we are able to look beyond their intensity to see their intent (Hebrews 12:2). This is the first step in remaining positive when the bottom drops out of life.
2. Understand the work of trials (vs. 3-4)
With regards to your faith. (v. 3) - Scripture knows nothing of “fair weather faith walkers.” Can we honestly claim that we are walking by faith when the sun is always shining and we can always see where we are going? Can we say we are walking by faith when the unpleasant elements of the storms of life are not touching us? This is sight walking. Faith is like flying a plane by instruments. The instruments must be accurate. They are the only thing that can get you through the clouds. Faith does not dispel the clouds but gives you direction through the clouds.
With regards to your life (vs. 3b, 4) - What is the testing of your faith designed to accomplish? There is a developing process that takes place when faith is tested.
• To develop stability. The testing of the believer’s faith produces a steadfastness along the treacherous roads of life. Like football shoes it gives us traction so we don’t slip (v. 3). But this is not an end within itself: patience, steadfastness and endurance also have a work - an all encompassing work - the completion of the process.
• To mature our character and to give us a well rounded life (cf. Romans 8:28, 29). “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Knowledge must be put into perspective in a practical way. We are to know certain things and their purpose. Our character needs maturing. That fact will always be true. In this life we never max out in our maturity. There is never a time when we don’t need the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A person can go through a lot when he knows why. This is the work of trials.
This is quite an order. Who is sufficient for it? If we are honest in our evaluation we probably are saying, “I need wisdom other than my own to help all this knowledge to jell.” If this is true, then you’ve realized a need to look at life from God’s viewpoint. This leads us into an element of prayer which we will look at next week.
Love to you all,
Charles Covington
Testing of faith comes in many forms, but all are meant to increase faith and trust in God!
John 16:33
33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
If we could think of our daily trouble as a test or plan of God to build His character and nature within us…the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), we would fulfill the words of James in chapter one verses 2-4.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
I long to be complete and perfect spiritually, to know God intimately, to be like Jesus, my Lord and Savior, always doing the will of the Father and therefore pleasing to Him.
May we all seek to find spiritual purpose for the trials of life and trust God for any and all outcomes that glorify Him and are truly for our eternal best!
Pastor Dale