Steve Sikes Blog
Steve Sikes Blog
Over 5 weeks ago I knocked on his door and he invited me in. I sat on a not too firm chair in his living room as he offered me some figs and goat cheese and some kind of hot fruit drink. We initially shared background information and then I found myself caught up in his unending wisdom, grateful that I had brought my notebook along. Somewhere near the beginning of our conversation I remember him clearing his throat and saying, “Steve, when you are in the very worst of trials, try the following: (Now, I’ve been in some trials that were real doozies, so it would be an understatement to say this guy had all my attention and then some.)
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• “Grab all of the faith you can muster and pray for wisdom from above.” (At this point I interrupted him and asked what good wisdom would do if I was in so much pain? Shouldn’t I be praying for strength to just hang on?!) He smiled and handed me another fig. Good move – that shut me up.
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• He went on to explain, “You’re not getting it. Wisdom from above is first pure – pure in thought and purpose. You may not understand all that is happening to you, Steve, (especially when you’re in the middle of a tidal wave experience), but for sure you want your mind to be pure so that you won’t stoop to blaming, back-stabbing, complaining, gossiping, and judging those around you. You especially want to be pure in how you are experiencing your suffering in order for God to redeem it for good.” (I remember thinking, “Now that’s a lot to chew on” as I reached for another fig.)
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• “Wisdom from above is also peaceable – peaceable to others, yes, but to you as well. Can you imagine having this kind of peace in the midst of a trial or better yet, being a vessel of peace to others when your own world has turned upside down?!”
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• “Wisdom from above is gentle and reasonable and merciful and unwavering! It is genuine. You will need all of these qualities to deal with whatever trial(s) you experience. Extending mercy to others when you in fact need mercy from them is not crazy (as some count craziness) – it is God! It is Spirit! And it is certainly evangelistic!” (It may also be the process of heaping coals of fire upon the head of the enemy if I’m reading Romans 12:20 correctly. Whew! This is good!)
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• “Many people look at trials as a pain… an interruption to what real life is to be. Yes. Trials are painful, but in truth they provide the necessary arena for God to forge His character more deeply and completely into His children.” (I began to understand that in the middle of a trial, this guy wasn’t just handing me a new set of coping skills, he was revealing an entirely new perspective and paradigm of thought! I felt some measure of joy coming over me, but at the time, had no handle on what that was about.)
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Leaving his house that first day I knew I’d be back. I was being fed much more than figs. Now 5 weeks later I sit here contemplating all that I’ve learned. I’m not the same person; I don’t see my world the same. Trials are still a headache (initially) but at least my prayers have changed: “God, through Jesus, with all the faith I can muster, would you please give me Your wisdom, Your character, Your purity, Your peace, Your gentleness and reason, Your mercy, Your steadfastness, Your genuine Spirit! Use whatever is happening to me and to my family, to forge me, O God, more into Your likeness for Your glory. Shalom.”
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Thank you, James, for the study! Thank you for the five chapters, five weeks, and five sermons. When I first came into your living room and said, “Give me five” – without a doubt, you certainly did!
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James 1:2-6a, 3:17-18, 5:13 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting…But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace…Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.” NASV
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God is good all the time and all the time God is good!