Before we begin, I encourage you to watch this first study of the book of James by clicking the link below.
As we see here in the first verse, like James, each one of us has a spiritual journey beginning in unbelief. James may have had the most unusual beginning as he was the half-brother of Jesus, but each of ours is unique, some easier than others.
Mine began at an early age. Through all my earliest memories, living a Christ centered life was the most important goal of my parents. We prayed before every meal, went to church regularly, and openly spoke about what it meant to be a follower of Christ.
When I was four years old, my family attended a Nazarene church in the town of Vassar Michigan. I remember often taking a hymnal along with everyone else, having my mom open it to the song we would be singing, and trying to decipher the words the adults were singing. I longingly looked forward to the time when I would be able to read those words myself.
On one wintry Sunday night we attended church for the second time that day, as we always did each Sunday. We began with the singing, which I usually found engaging to my young mind, and then moved on to the sermon. In my young memories I believe there was an evangelist visiting who gave the sermon, but honestly what I remember most was being bored. I swung my feet, looked around, and tried to be patient as my parents would have wanted as I waited for the speaking to finish.
Towards the end of the sermon, I noticed my dad begin to cry. I remember feeling confusion as my dad took hold of my shoulder and asked me if wanted to ask Jesus into my heart, his voice cracking with emotion. I said ok, and he went with me down to the altar where I kneeled beside him. The minister knelt on the other side of the altar from me as my dad explained I was ready to ask Jesus into my heart. When the minister affirmed with me that I was ready, and began leading me through a prayer of salvation, what I remember thinking was that this was a big deal. I was making a commitment that meant something and would change me. My family had often spoken about what it meant to be a Christian, and church and Sunday school had been a regular part of my life, but it was only in that moment when I realized that this was important. I may not have entirely understood the commitment I was making, but I knew that.
Soon after, the service was dismissed and my family went to the coat room. There was another frequent attender who would often help my brother and I get our coats on as my parents put on theirs while caring for my baby sister. I was tired, as I often was after Sunday night church, and as he put my coat on I began crying and complaining. There are three things I remember about that moment. The first was that this was a common thing I did with this person who helped me. I didn’t want to go through this process, and I wanted everyone to know it.
The second was that I was tired, angry, and cranky. Even though I was feeling no discomfort with how he dressed me, I wanted him and my parents to know that I was unhappy with him. I wanted to make him pay for my moodiness.
The last thing I remember is a guilt laced thought I believe came straight from God. I was a Christian now, should I be doing this? Was this showing love?
As pastor Scott describes in this video, James spiritual journey began with anger at Jesus, his perfect brother, and ended with his death upon claiming his brother’s divinity. It was the middle part of this journey which was the most amazing as he became one of the authors of the divinely inspired word of God. Jesus took a normal life with normal issues and transformed it into something extraordinary. God has a similar plan for each of us if we only put aside our unbelief and seek His grace. He has an amazing journey ready for us.
The Chronic Thinker 
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