YAG II: Book of James – Alvina Tan
Refreshing and Thought-provoking
Studying the book of James has been both refreshing and thought-provoking, while also providing moments of rebuke. While many precious lessons have been taught, two, in particular, have stood out to me as I prepare to accompany You Cai overseas.
The first lesson is from James 1:2–3 which reads,
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
Two years ago, before You Cai and I got married, there were discussions about him going overseas for two years. So, right up until our wedding, we were gearing up to leave shortly after. However, plans changed, and we didn’t go. The nature of You Cai’s job is, to me, the epitome of uncertainty. Plans change frequently, sometimes at the last minute, and I found it challenging to deal with the uncertainty. I’m someone who prefers having some certainty, so dealing with constantly changing plans felt like riding an emotional rollercoaster, and joy was definitely not my focus.
However, after learning this lesson from James, the idea of counting it all joy began to resonate with me. It became my focal point, especially when, two years later, I found myself in a similar situation. This trip, although for a different purpose, has also been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Plans kept shifting, with unexpected changes and people pulling out at unexpected times which affected our plans. Just a couple of months ago, we still didn’t have a “finalised” plan.
But this time, I’m thankful for this lesson from James 1:2–3. It encouraged and challenged me to approach this similar situation with a fresh perspective. It was not easy to think of joy when You Cai came back from work to share that there was another obstacle in the process of getting approval for his course. However, I am thankful that overtime, the “lag time” or “recovery time”, as Tr Chen Kee would say, between my human reaction and the right reaction, has shortened. That said, there is definitely still much to work on and more room for growth. I am not sure if there will be more changes in our plans in the coming days or months, but I am committed to continue to focus on and apply this precious lesson from James, no matter what may come.
The second lesson that stood out to me is taken from James 1:5 and it reads,
“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.”
Asking God for wisdom has been a prayer both You Cai and I have sought to make as plans started to become a little clearer, especially after being reminded that God will give wisdom to all liberally and without reproach.
We needed wisdom from the Lord in the decisions we had to make, like whether I should follow him overseas, when would the right time to go be, when to return, where to live, and so on. But I thank God for the privilege of turning to Him in prayer to seek the wisdom we greatly needed. This lesson is also one I am challenged to apply in the months ahead. You Cai recently shared on the pressure he is under as the only Singaporean there, and while I cannot fully comprehend the pressure, I earnestly pray for the wisdom to support him to the best of my abilities during this short and intense course. Many have mentioned that going overseas is like an extended holiday, which it is, and that I should travel as much as I can. However, I am very conscious of the need to ask the Lord for both practical and spiritual wisdom to support him, which is the primary reason I am there with him.
I truly thank God for the precious lessons I learnt at YAG, which I can hold onto for great comfort, encouragement and spiritual growth.