One of the helpful resources I use for my own spiritual life is the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible. The study notes on the Epistle of James are expansive and deep.
Here, in the study notes, is a statement concerning the passage we discussed this past Sunday, from James 1.
"Temptation is a human problem that can be rightly managed with a disciplined will and an attitude of anticipated good. We can stand up to forces that converge to press us down; we can indeed endure the pressure and win against it. Being "tried" or "tempted" can make us feel so terribly vulnerable, so individually exposed, but we can maintain stability by realizing that the outcome is not determined by what happens to us , but what happens within us. Trusting God's resourcefulness gets us through such extreme times, because faith determines the real outcome. For believers, faith affects everything, and this wisdom (v. 5) must inform our consciousness and form our character. We mature through dealing with what faith must endure."
We are not left alone. We have one another, and we have the Holy Spirit.
Grace and peace,
Mike
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