GOD IS IN IT 9.28.25

September 29th, 2025

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote to Jewish Christians scattered across different regions. Their scattering was not random—it was purposeful. Just like seeds are scattered to bring about new life, believers were positioned for growth, even in places that felt chaotic and uncertain.

James encourages us to see trials through the lens of faith. He does not say suffering is joyful, but that through trials, perseverance is formed. Perseverance then produces maturity, shaping us to become “complete, not lacking anything.” This truth calls us to trust God’s hand even when His plan is hidden.

God often allows trials to strip away what distracts us or holds us back—not to deplete us, but to prepare us for something greater. When we choose to lean into Him in the midst of difficulty, we grow in spiritual strength and maturity. Our displacement, our hardship, even our waiting—none of it is wasted in God’s hands.

REFLECT |

Where in your life right now do you feel “scattered” or displaced, and how might God be using that situation to grow your perseverance and maturity in Him?

BIBLE VERSES

Key Verses are denoted with an *

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DAY 1 | FINDING GOD IN THE SCATTERING

Life often takes unexpected turns. We find ourselves in places we never planned to be, facing circumstances we never anticipated. In these moments of feeling scattered or displaced, it's easy to wonder: where is God in all of this? James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote to believers who were literally scattered across different regions. These early Christians faced persecution, uncertainty, and the discomfort of being away from home. Yet James didn't begin with sympathy for their situation—he began with perspective. When we feel scattered, we're invited to look deeper. What if your current location, job, relationship status, or challenge isn't random? What if, like seeds scattered by a farmer, you've been strategically positioned for growth and purpose? God doesn't waste our experiences. Even when life feels chaotic or disordered, there's divine intention behind it. The places where you feel most displaced might be exactly where God has positioned you to make the greatest impact. Today, instead of resisting your current circumstances, consider how God might be using your 'scattering' for a greater purpose. You are where you are for a reason. Look for opportunities to grow, serve, and sow seeds of faith right where you've been planted.

BIBLE VERSE |
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings." - James 1:1

REFLECTION QUESTION |
In what area of your life do you feel 'scattered' or displaced right now, and how might God be positioning you there for a specific purpose?

QUOTE |
"Look for the sowing in the scattering. In your life, in your circumstances, in your situations, in your relationships."

PRAYER |
Lord, help me to see Your purpose in my current circumstances. When I feel scattered or displaced, remind me that You have positioned me with intention. Open my eyes to see the opportunities to sow seeds of faith right where I am. Thank You for being present in every detail of my life. Amen.

DAY 2 | GOD IS IN IT

We often wish life came with clear explanations—a divine commentary that would help us understand exactly what God is doing in each moment. Instead, we're given something more valuable: the assurance that God is present, even when His purposes aren't immediately clear. God doesn't always reveal His full plan, but He invites us to look deeper, to search for His fingerprints in the details of our lives. This requires intentional effort—a willingness to pause, reflect, and discern His movement in circumstances that might otherwise seem random or even painful. What makes this search worthwhile is understanding who God is. He isn't a distant cosmic force; He's deeply relational and personal. He knows you individually—your strengths, weaknesses, fears, and dreams. He sees you, understands you, and is working for your good. When we grasp this truth, it transforms how we navigate difficult seasons. Instead of merely enduring hardship, we can approach it with curiosity and expectation, knowing that God is weaving something meaningful through every experience. Today, consider a challenging situation you're facing. Rather than asking God to remove it, try asking Him to reveal Himself within it. Look for evidence of His presence, His protection, and His provision. He is there, working in ways you might not yet recognize.

BIBLE VERSE |
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What situation in your life currently feels most disconnected from God's presence, and how might you begin to look for Him within it?

QUOTE |
"God is in it. God is in it. God is in it."

PRAYER |
Father, I believe You are in every detail of my life, even when I can't see You clearly. Help me to trust Your presence in my current circumstances. Give me eyes to recognize Your movement and wisdom to discern Your purposes. Thank You for being a God who is intimately involved in my story. Amen.

DAY 3 | FINDING JOY IN THE TRIALS

Joy seems like the last thing we'd associate with trials. When life gets difficult, our natural response is frustration, anxiety, or even despair—not joy. Yet James challenges us with a radical perspective: "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds." This isn't about pretending hardship is pleasant or denying real pain. Rather, it's about seeing beyond the immediate difficulty to the greater purpose it serves. James reveals a progression: trials produce perseverance, and perseverance leads to maturity and completeness. Understanding this progression is what produces joy. This perspective doesn't come naturally. It requires intentional effort—a deliberate choice to view our circumstances through the lens of faith rather than feeling. It's like spiritual exercise that strengthens our ability to recognize God's grace even in difficult seasons. Joy isn't the absence of problems but the awareness of God's presence and purpose within them. It's seeing the grace in the grind, the divine intention behind the difficulty. When we understand that our trials aren't random but are being used to shape us into who God created us to be, we can find genuine joy even in challenging circumstances. Today, consider what trial you're facing. Instead of asking God to simply remove it, ask Him to help you see how He's using it to develop perseverance and maturity in your life.

BIBLE VERSE |
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." - James 1:2-3

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What current challenge in your life might God be using to develop perseverance in you, and how might viewing it from this perspective change your response to it?

QUOTE |
"Counting trials as joy takes effort. It takes work. It is mental and spiritual exercise. It is a self discipline that develops us. And in developing us, it cultivates joy."

PRAYER |
Heavenly Father, transform my perspective on the trials I'm facing. Help me to see beyond the immediate difficulty to the growth You're producing in me. Give me the strength to count these challenges as joy, knowing that You're using them to make me mature and complete. Thank You for working all things for my good. Amen.

DAY 4 | LETTING PERSEVERENCE FINISH ITS WORK

There's something in us that resists the difficult path. When faced with challenges, our natural instinct is to find the quickest way out—to end the discomfort, solve the problem, or change the circumstances. Yet James offers a different instruction: "Let perseverance finish its work." The word "let" is significant. It acknowledges our tendency to interrupt the process, to short-circuit the very development God is trying to produce in us. We often resist not because we don't want growth, but because we struggle to trust that God truly wants our best. God's ultimate purpose for us is maturity and completeness—a state where we lack nothing essential for our spiritual flourishing. This doesn't mean a life free from challenges, but rather a life where we've developed the character and faith to navigate any circumstance with wisdom and grace. Sometimes achieving this completeness requires God to remove things from our lives—things we may cling to, things we may think we need. Yet in His wisdom, God knows that some of what we treasure actually depletes rather than completes us. Today, consider what process of growth God might be working in your life. Instead of resisting the difficulty or praying only for relief, ask for the strength to persevere—to let the process finish its work in you.

BIBLE VERSE |
"Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:4

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What area of your life are you most tempted to short-circuit God's developing work, and what might it look like to "let perseverance finish its work" in that situation?

QUOTE |
"God's purpose for you is for you to be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Mature and complete, not lacking any good thing. That is God's desire. That is the destination where we are going."

PRAYER |
Lord, give me the courage to persevere through difficult seasons. When I'm tempted to resist or escape the process, remind me of Your good purposes for my life. Help me trust that You're working to make me mature and complete, lacking nothing. Thank You for Your faithful presence in every step of my journey. Amen.

DAY 5 | TRUSTING GOD'S PURPOSE IN PAIN

Some of life's most profound lessons come wrapped in our most painful experiences. When we're in the midst of suffering, it's difficult to see any purpose in our pain. We question why God would allow such difficulty if He truly loves us. Yet the message of James offers a powerful perspective: even when it's painful, it's purposeful. God doesn't cause suffering, but He does use it. The same God who turned Jesus' death into our deliverance is powerful enough to transform our trials into triumph, our setbacks into stepping stones. This truth requires a fundamental shift in how we view our challenges. Rather than seeing them as evidence of God's absence or indifference, we can begin to look for His presence and purpose within them. We can trust that He is working—not despite our circumstances but through them. Sometimes God removes things from our lives not to punish us but to protect us. What we perceive as loss might actually be liberation from something that was hindering our growth or happiness. God's ultimate goal is our completeness, and sometimes that means removing what depletes us to make room for what will fulfill us. Today, whatever difficulty you're facing, remember that God is in it. He sees you, He loves you, and He is working all things together for your good. Keep going. Keep persevering. Trust that God knows exactly what He's doing.

BIBLE VERSE |
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What painful circumstance in your life is most difficult to see purpose in, and how might viewing it through the lens of God's love and wisdom change your perspective?

QUOTE |
"Even if it's painful, it's purposeful."

PRAYER |
Heavenly Father, when I can't see Your purpose in my pain, help me to trust Your heart. Give me faith to believe that You're working all things for my good, even when I don't understand. Thank You for Your faithful presence in every season of my life. Help me to keep persevering, knowing that You are in it. Amen.

ACTION STEP

This week, take time to reflect on how you define yourself and where you find your value. Each morning, begin your day by stating aloud, 'I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ' before you do anything else. Then, pay attention to situations where you're tempted to find your worth in something else—your achievements, others' approval, your possessions, or your connections. When you notice this happening, pause and remind yourself of your true identity in Christ. At the end of the week, journal about how this practice affected your perspective and interactions with others.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for the powerful example of James, who found his identity not in his family connection to You but in being Your servant. Help us to examine the sources we trust and to test everything against Your Word. Free us from the need to find our worth in status, titles, or the approval of others. Instead, show us who we truly are in You. Give us the courage to ask questions and seek truth, knowing that genuine faith can withstand scrutiny. This week, remind us daily that our identity is secure in You alone. In Your name we pray, Amen.

BIBLE APP PLANS

The Path of Perseverance
26 Days – UpperRoom
In the final hour, many will fall away, but there will be a remnant that finishes the race of faith well. Now, more than ever before, we need a reawakening in our hearts of the true meaning of enduring through trial, suffering, and pain in light of the return of Jesus. "The Path of Perseverance" is a 26-day journey through the books of Philippians, 1st & 2nd Thessalonians, James, 1st & 2nd Peter, and Jude.

Becoming A Mature Christian
5 Days – Ligonier Ministries
Only by the Holy Spirit’s transforming power can we grow to be increasingly like Christ. This 5-day study explores how you can cultivate characteristics that glorify God in your lifelong pursuit of Christian maturity.

Christian Foundations 6 - Perseverance (Youth)
5 Days – Queensland Baptist
Perseverance is the sixth in a series of studies that help you establish a strong biblical foundation as a follower of Jesus. In this plan, we consider why some people give up following Jesus and explore how we can hold strongly on to Jesus and persevere in our commitment to Him, despite all that Satan throws against us.