Josh Benner

Tag: wisdom

  • What wisdom has to do with struggles

    It’s In the opening chapter of the Letter of James, in talking about the trials we face, James says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

    What does wisdom have to do with trials?

    God gives us wisdom to trust in him in the face of trials.When we’re in trials, the onus isn’t on us to figure it all out on our own, to understand all that’s going on.

    We aren’t called to have the answer for all of our trials and struggles. We are to consider and to count it joy when we are in trials because of the work that God is doing. But seeing his purposes, seeing God in the struggles, for that, we do need wisdom.

    There are numerous Proverbs that talk about God granting wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 says “The Lord gives wisdom.” He points us to his promises, his goodness, his salvation. He can point us to the hope that is found in the gospel and grant a peace that surpasses all understanding.

    James continues in verse 6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

    I used to live in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. The water and waves are constantly changing, even through the course of a day. Sometimes the waters can be very calm and still. On a day when there’s no wind, it’s incredible how still the water is. It’s like a mirror. Other times the water is really choppy. And the imagery of waves that James is using: to be walking in doubt, constantly varying and changing. One moment walking in faith, the next moment doubting God’s goodness, or his plan, or his existence. The winds of situations blowing us too and fro, totally out of control in our faith, totally depending on conditions instead of cultivating an internal relationship and pursuit of God.

    AND WE SEE PART OF THE PROBLEM IN VERSES 7 AND 8:

    FOR THAT PERSON MUST NOT SUPPOSE THAT HE WILL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD; HE IS A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN, UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS.

    James says that the person who’s doubting is like a wave of the sea, and here that person is called double-minded. Trusting God, not trusting God. Trusting God, not trusting God. Trust, no trust, trust, no trust.

    We are following God or we are not. If we keep jumping between trust and doubt, we can’t expect to grow in wisdom or an insights of our situations.

    The point isn’t that the slightest feeling of doubt ever means that God is not going to respond or be there. But if doubting and failing to trust God is a way of life, and just part of our outlook whenever things aren’t going exactly as we want them to go, there’s no blessing in that. And through a trial, there can be ebbs and flows of emotion. We might thrash at first, but when we’ve had some time, to know that God is at work. Trusting in God needs to be our general disposition

    So when we face trials, we are able to turn to God to seek wisdom, through faith without doubting. When we turn to God in doubt, then we are doubting his goodness. Again, God’s purpose is not to give us a life totally free from any difficulty. We will have that one day, but he is growing us in holiness until that time.

    This actual trust is what separates the men from the boys, when it comes to faith. K.A. Richardson talks about how there is no middle ground between faith and unbelief. We aren’t called to be double minded but to be single minded and totally focused on God.

    We trust God in struggles and that trust is part of what helps us grow in faith.

    But our overall disposition when we come to God needs to be to trust him. Not to be wishy washy, one week trusting in God, but keeping him on a short leash if we don’t get the immediate result we want, or the answer we want, to the relief we want. But even in spite of confusion, even when things don’t make sense, to keep on turning to God and looking to God.

    Maybe you’re in a tough place with work right now. Your boss doesn’t seem to appreciate you. You’re overdue for a promotion, but it’s where God has you now. In that trial, in that period of frustration, to turn to God.

    Trials are opportunities where we can grow with God or turn from God. Trials are situations where we can grow in holiness or fall into sin, depending on the choices we make.

    Turning to God in wisdom of how to live, and wisdom of how to approach life, and the wisdom to recognize that God is good, always. And while trials and seasons are not always what we want, they are always intended for good.

    We need to be intentional about staying in faith, not being moved by the current of life. Not being double minded, playing both sides with God, but having a steadfast trust in what God is doing in our life.

    Originally published December 5, 2016

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  • What the Mayo Clinic can teach us about personal growth

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    Last weekend, I watched “The May Clinic: Faith, Hope, and Science” by Ken Burns. I’ve always been a fan of Ken Burns’ work, and this documentary was a fascinating look into one of the greatest hospitals on earth, its history, innovation, and the people they’ve helped. At times, it was very touching.

    The Mayo clinic is named after founding doctors William Mayo and his sons William and Charles. One of the things that struck me about the documentary was their commitment to learning and teaching. They made medicine collaborative. In the documentary, medical historians argue that in their day, doctors weren’t always keen on sharing what worked with other doctors out of fear that someone could just turn around and use their techniques. (more…)

  • God’s truth is true. Even if we don’t like it.

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    I was recently reading a profile on a popular singer. The profile said that she had been raised going to church but she had stopped going because she disagreed with the church’s teachings on LGBT issues. Because the church didn’t agree with her, she left.

    We try to dictate what truth is, based on preferences.

    LGBT issues are a hot button political topic right now. Many don’t like the idea of a God who disapproves of those lifestyles and so, just like the singer, people decide that God affirms it. They overlook clear Biblical teachings and concoct arguments based on feelings.

    God is awesomely holy and perfectly righteous. We are not.

    And because we’re not, there can be times where we read something in the Bible, where our initial gut reaction is to dislike what God has done or to dislike his moral will.

    There are people who don’t like that God is just and a judge. So people simply decide to ignore those texts. They throw out the true notion of God for one that accepts everything they want to do.

    Some people want to believe that a person doesn’t have to have faith in Jesus to be with him, and so they decide that being a good person is the basis on which God judges the human soul. But that’s not a Biblical idea. Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6).

    There are people who like to speak for God and suggest that God is too distant. That such an infinite God wouldn’t care about the world, therefore it doesn’t matter what we do. That’s an assumption which contradicts the Bible. These people still often assume there’s a heaven. So they believe in a God who made the world, but doesn’t care about it. Yet, he made a paradise for people from the world that he didn’t care about?

    Based on what?

    Based on nothing! Based on what a person wants to believe. Based on the god a person makes up in their own mind.

    We’re created in God’s image, he’s not created in ours. And it’s tempting to believe in a God who only believes in what you believe in.

    Or people pick and choose which teachings of the Bible they want to apply to life and disregard the others. All sorts of ways that humanity tries to speak for God.

    It can be really hard for us to not want to create these caricatures of God.

    Even for people in the church. We might not talk about it. We might not say it in Sunday School or in a small group. But is there something about God, where you see it in the Bible but have a justification for why it’s not true?

    If you believe in a God who never disagrees with what you think, you might be worshipping a god you’ve made in your own image rather than you worshipping the God in who’s image actually you’re created.

    There can be times where we don’t understand a teaching, perhaps we don’t like a teaching. In those times, let us walk by faith, to trust that his ways are good. That his ways are higher than our ways.

    Do you have any areas of your life today where you struggle to not justify a certain sin?

    It’s so tempting to want to believe in a God who only believes in what you believe in. But God’s truth is not up for a vote.

    It’s so tempting to undermine the gospel and to say it’s really about how someone lived, regardless of what they believe.

    It’s about trusting in Jesus.

    That is how the unholy are made holy. Jesus is the great high priest who gives us access to God. And that is true, regardless of what we want to be true. Salvation is entirely the work of Christ.

    People undermine the morality of the Bible. They suggest that it’s just teachings created by men. Or suggesting that God doesn’t really care how we live.

    Again, that’s an assumption people make based on what they want.

    The God of the Bible does care. Because he’s a Holy God. And he made us for Holiness and righteousness. Maybe you have an area where you struggle to accept something about God’s word. I pray that the Holy Spirit would convict you of that. I pray that you might know that God is good. When I say his truth is true, regardless of what we want, that it’s not up for a vote, my point isn’t that it’s just a top down dictator imposing things upon us.

    Thanks for reading my 500th post! I’d love to hear what you think, and don’t forget to subscribe! 

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

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  • Difficulties as seasons for joy

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    In his book “Above the Line,” Ohio State’s football coach Urban Meyer talks about his coaching philosophy. One of the things Meyer talks about in his book is what he calls “the R factor.”

    And by the R factor, Meyer is talking about the Response Factor. In the book, Meyer says: “We don’t control the events in life, and we don’t directly control the outcomes. But we always have control over how we choose to respond.”

    While this is certainly true on the football field, Meyer goes on to talk about how this is also true in life. (more…)

  • The great enemy of success: excuses

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    It’s common for people to blame officials for their team losing a game.

    It’s less common for people to blame officials for losing a game by 29 points. But I found myself in a conversation on Facebook recently with a person who was arguing that officiating cost Ohio State that game.

    I say this not to belittle that particular person but it made me think of society and how we approach failure.

    Many people struggle with pride and never take responsibility. The problem with that is if you never admit your own mistakes and your own contribution to your life situations, you’ll never be able to grow. (more…)