“Our Attitude When Facing Trials”
(James 1:9-11)

I. Keep an eternal perspective:

A. For Christians who are poor (v.9)
a. Those who are poor should glory in their spiritual position. (v.9)
1. Because of what he stands to gain as an outcome of his testing. (1 Pet. 1:3-6; Rm 8:18)
- “When God, in His wisdom and sovereignty, takes away physical possessions from some of His children, it is for the purpose of making them spiritually mature, a blessing infinitely more valuable than anything they have lost or have wanted but never possessed. The believer who is deprived in this life can accept that temporary and insignificant deprivation because he has a future divine inheritance that is both eternal and secure.”

2. Because of what he has now in the present, in terms of His relationship with God. He knows the truth, regardless of his economic status. (Jn. 14:6, 17:17, 8:32, 16:13-15)
- “We hope to understand the truth better, but we shall never discover better truth.”
- “First, God is paying attention to the lowly brother by using trials to make him a better person. There is no higher honor than to be the object of God’s gracious and loving concern. Equally, God is preparing to bestow on this brother the crown of life which comes to those who endure testing (v 12 and discussion). That too is an exaltation. Thus the lowly brother’s exaltation is both present (in the trial itself) and prospective (in the trial’s outcome). This, then, should be the poor person’s perspective on trouble.”

B. For Christians who are prosperous (v.10-11)
a. The prosperous Christian should boast in his humiliation. (Lk. 12:15-21)
- “The idea is that a believer who is materially well-off, healthy, and otherwise physically blessed should rejoice when trials come, for they teach him the transitory nature of those material things and their inability to give inner and lasting satisfaction or help, especially spiritual help.”

b. Potential spiritual problems with those who are prosperous.
1. Those who desire riches are prone to fall into destruction. (I Tim. 6:9-10)
2. The materially wealthy are prone to arrogance and greed. (Prov. 28:11, 15:27)
3. The rich have a difficult time trusting God. (Mt. 19:24)
- “The loss of material things is meant to drive the rich person to the Lord and to greater spiritual maturity…the rich and poor are exactly alike. Neither material possessions nor lack of them is of any ultimate consequence. What is of significance is a trusting relationship to the Lord, who showers all of His children with spiritual wealth that will never diminish or fail to satisfy.”

c. The message to both rich and poor is draw near to God for mercy and grace in our time of need. (Heb. 4:16)


John F. MacArthur Jr., James, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 39.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Exploring the Mind and Heart of the Prince of Preachers: Five-Thousand Illustrations Selected from the Works of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Oswego, IL: Fox River Press, 2005), 483.
Zane C. Hodges, Arthur L. Farstad, and Robert N. Wilkin, The Epistle of James: Proven Character through Testing (Irving, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 1994), 23.
MacArthur, MNTC, 40.
Ibid., 41.