Jas 1:17, 18  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."


If you look to the daily gifts of God, trusting in His provision, mercy and grace, this will bring hope and love to your soul as a sort of glimpse of what our coming transformation will attain. Becoming again creatures filled with the life and love of God!
It takes patience though. This is just a beginning and it will take a lifetime to realize all the fullness of Godness in our lives. Cultivate listening ears, He is speaking through all the difficulties brought into your life. Don't let yourself be plunged into a time of complaint and anger. You won't reach the point of living rightly before God by giving into anger or bitterness. 


Jas 1:19, 20  "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."


So do away with all the things that dirty up your life and cause you to rant and rave against the circumstances  that God has given to you. They are really a gift! He will work all this out for your ultimate good and joy. Large doses of humility and humbly receiving of His love in the midst of difficulty will be the way to final full redemption.


Jas 1:21  "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."


So if you talk about following Christ, and hear His call of loving one another as Christ loved you. You agree with the sentiment, but your life doesn't reflect care for others, then you are living a lie.
You are like someone who only looks in the mirror, but walks away without washing and grooming. The dirt and mess is right there for everyone to see except you. Your deception allows you to pretend that you are looking good. "There used to be a book and the title was derived from a colloquialism "I'm OK, Your OK". 
Of course, we would like to think so, truth is we all are needy and broken. We are full of sin and in need of cleansing. 


Jas 1:22- 24   "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."


The way to life and freedom is through abiding in Christ, like a prisoner abides in a jail cell. Living in the law of liberty, is being captivated by the law of loving one another as Christ loved us. Has He captured you by His love? 



Joh 15:11-14  "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.You are my friends if you do what I command you." 

Jas 1:25  "But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."


It is not about setting up a set of words of blessing as a religious observance to make yourself feel like you have been exonerated and walking away talking about others in a demeaning or judgmental manner. Your actions are then both deceiving and condemning. Your religious observance doesn't accomplish anything that is worthwhile. You have wasted your time!


Jas 1:26  "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless."


No, if you want to know what would really be show the worth of Christ to others, you would help those most distressed and in need. Your religious observances would be relational. Your friendship with God in Christ would drive you to lay down your life for others and keep yourself from being dirtied up through blaming God, bitter jealousy and demeaning others with your talk, for He is Absolute Love. 


Jas 1:27  "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."