James 1:2-8 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Many times I think we consider our trials as obstacles in our lives but as James wrote, trials are NOT obstacles. James said that the testing of our faith helps us produce endurance and through endurance we can become "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Now I know we cannot achieve the perfection of Christ, but I think James is referring to perfecting our love for Christ. As we face trials, we can and should gain strength from enduring those trials.
James also said that if we lack wisdom, ask God "and it will be given to him." Many of the trials we face are because we lack the wisdom to avoid them, therefore we should be looking to God for the wisdom and strength to endure and overcome these trials.
It is through faith that we can overcome the trials, because our faith gives us strength and faith will guide us to ask God for the wisdom to overcome. If we don't have faith, we are tossed about with no direction in life and unstable in our ways. Faith gives us direction in life, it keeps us pointed toward the eternal goal, it keeps us centered on what is important, it keeps us going when times are hard.
Can your faith face the test? Just remember that the test of our faith produces endurance which perfects our love for God.
Strive each day to walk "In the Narrow Way."
No comments:
Post a Comment