Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12   Today is the last of our series of devotionals on how to overcome the trials of life. We’ve discussed how God is not in the storm; he is with us against the storm. We’ve talked about the power of choosing joy in the midst of a storm, of growing in patience and of pursuing wisdom. To close this series, I’d like to cover one more thought. During the storms of life, we’re going to be tempted to sin, make wrong decisions or quit. We need to resist these temptations to stay …

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (NKJV)   Have you ever made an unwise choice? We all have. When we make poor decisions, often it’s because we didn’t go after wisdom in that area before making that choice. Not all mistakes can be avoided, but a lot of them can. In fact, maturity, patience and wisdom can guide us around many of the trials we encounter. The next time we’re in the middle of a trial, we need to ask ourselves if there’s anything we could have done to avoid it. We also need to resist the temptation to blame others, the devil, …

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13   According to Ephesians 6:10-18, we as believers can arm ourselves with the armour of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit and prayer. Each piece of armour represents a belief system from God’s Word that we need to renew our minds in so we can be strong during the trials of life. But even if we stay in faith through troubled times, it doesn’t mean that we’ll automatically sail through in …