The Believer's Proper Attitude Toward God During Times of Trials

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."—James 1:2-4

Verses 12 through 18 emphasize the believer's proper attitude toward God during the times of trial. 

According to Jesus in Matthew 22:37, the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." If to love the Lord is the greatest commandment, then the greatest sin is not to love the Lord the way we should.

In the midst of our trials, there are many temptations. Some say, I have served God all these years. Why is this happening to me? Satan may make us wonder if it pays to serve God. He will call our attention to some wicked person and remind us that that person never served the Lord. He'll try to get us to become bitter, hard, angry, or he may try to get us to turn against God altogether.

God never varies. He's the same yesterday, today and forever. Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." If God changed, He would have to get worse or improve. If he improved, that would mean He was not perfect before; and if He got worse, it would mean He is no longer perfect.

In times of trials, we must keep loving God. And we must realize that the temptation to evil during such times is not from God but from Satan himself.

—taken from 'Responding Properly to Trials' by Dr. Curtis Hutson