In Part 2 of our message from James 1:1–18, we continue exploring what it means to endure when life gets hard. James reminds us that God uses the trials we face to develop the endurance we need—because following Jesus is a marathon, not a sprint.

This sermon focuses on how endurance grows when our hearts are anchored in the right place: not in the absence of suffering, but in the outcome God is producing through it. We’ll look at the difference between trials and temptation, why God is never the author of evil, and how humility helps us respond to hardship with faith instead of blame.

Through the examples of Job, Paul, and Joseph, we’re reminded that we can’t see our circumstances rightly until we see God rightly—and that even what was meant for evil, God can use for good.

In this message, we’ll explore:

✔ Why endurance requires preparation, not just perseverance

✔ How to hold onto certainty in God’s provision

✔ Why temporary trials demand an eternal perspective

✔ How humility protects us from blaming God in suffering

✔ Why God’s unchanging goodness is our anchor in hard seasons

✔ How God works in the gap between today’s problem and tomorrow’s promise

If you’re walking through pain, confusion, loss, or waiting, this message will encourage you to keep going—because God is forming something in you that hardship can’t destroy.

💬 Let’s Connect:

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Facebook → /bellshoals

YouTube → /@bellshoalschurch

🕊️ Get Involved:

We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference.

Learn more about serving, missions, next steps, and upcoming events at

https://bellshoals.com/guide/

Hard times are unavoidable—but they are never meaningless.

In this message from James 1:1–18, we begin a new teaching series through the book of James by addressing a question every believer eventually faces: How do we endure when life gets hard? Drawing from both Scripture and real-life stories, this sermon reminds us that God uses trials to produce endurance—and endurance to form maturity in us.

James writes to believers who were scattered and suffering under persecution, yet he opens with a surprising command: “Consider it a great joy” when trials come. Not because pain is good—but because God is at work through it. Endurance, or grit, is essential not only for life but for spiritual growth. Following Jesus is a marathon, not a sprint.

In this message, we explore how God develops endurance in us and why perspective and faith are critical when hardship comes. We also see how wisdom from God, eternal hope, and trust in His provision anchor us when circumstances feel overwhelming.

✔ Why trials are inevitable—and purposeful

✔ How endurance shapes spiritual maturity

✔ Where to find wisdom when life feels confusing

✔ Why faith and perspective matter in suffering

✔ How eternal hope sustains us through pain

Whether you’re walking through grief, uncertainty, loss, or opposition, this message offers biblical encouragement and practical hope rooted in God’s promises.

💬 Let’s Connect:

Website → https://bellshoals.com

Instagram → /bellshoals

Facebook → /bellshoals

YouTube → /@bellshoalschurch

🕊️ Get Involved:

We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference.

Learn more about serving, missions, next steps, and upcoming events at

https://bellshoals.com/guide/

📍 Locations:

Multiple campuses across the West-Central Florida area — find one near you!

https://bellshoals.com/locations/

We’re all familiar with the thrill of the hunt—searching for something valuable, meaningful, or life-changing. Whether it’s a hidden treasure, a priceless discovery, or a long-sought answer, the pursuit reveals what we value most. In this message from Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus tells two short parables that reveal the greatest treasure of all—the Kingdom of Heaven—and why nothing compares to it.

In the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, we see two different paths to discovery. One man stumbles upon the treasure unexpectedly, while another spends his life searching for it. Though their journeys differ, their response is the same: overwhelming joy and a willingness to give up everything else to gain what they’ve found.

This sermon reminds us that the treasure Jesus offers isn’t merely eternal life someday—it’s His reign, rule, and saving work in our lives right now. When we truly see the value of Christ, it changes how we live, what we pursue, and what we’re willing to release. The issue isn’t what we give up—it’s the greatness of what we gain.

As we begin a new year, this message challenges us to take an honest inventory of our hearts. What do our schedules reveal about our priorities? What do our finances say about what we treasure? And most importantly—have we truly seen the incomparable worth of Jesus Christ?

✔ How people discover Jesus in different ways

✔ Why Christ is worth more than anything else

✔ What a transformed response to the gospel looks like

✔ How joy naturally flows from treasuring Christ

✔ Why 2026 is an opportunity to realign our priorities

Whether you’re seeking, stumbling, or standing at a crossroads, this message invites you to see Jesus for who He truly is—the greatest treasure imaginable.

💬 Let’s Connect:

Website → https://bellshoals.com

Instagram → /bellshoals

Facebook → /bellshoals

YouTube → /@bellshoalschurch

🕊️ Get Involved:

We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference.

Learn more about serving, missions, next steps, and upcoming events at

https://bellshoals.com/guide/

📍 Locations:

Multiple campuses across the West-Central Florida area — find one near you!

https://bellshoals.com/locations/