Following her stroke my friend, Peggy, shared a dream with me. She was a
small child walking home from school. In the distance home waited, but
the road offered obstacles that were difficult to maneuver. Her legs
scarcely jumped over the large ruts, and her arms, weighed down with
books, barely managed the load.
Life is a long road home.
Many times we face incredible pitfalls, and obstacles. Hopefully, we
will develop the faith that will carry us to the end. “Consider it pure
joy,” James writes, “Whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you
know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance! Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be complete, not lacking anything”
(James 1:3-4).
Greater faith is found through perseverance.
Perseverance must be strong in each of us to handle life’s unexpected
circumstances. What a riveting image! There is a work inside each
believer, and it can only be completed through a willingness to endure!
The Lord’s perfect will is for faith to spring up in the midst of
heartache, pain, and turmoil.
Trials and suffering should
inspire spiritual growth. “These have come,” Peter imparts, “so that
your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though
refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (I Peter 1:7). The trying of
your faith during hardship should develop the ability to persevere.
Christ reveals that we are to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is
perfect. Perseverance is meant to spur each believer on toward this goal
(Matthew 5:48).
God has given His divine promises so that we
have the strength to stand against sin, to be part of His very nature,
and to grow spiritually. To escape sin’s grasp, and to be more like Him,
spiritual growth is not an option. Peter explains that we must add to
faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and
brotherly kindness. We can’t add these alone (II Peter 1:3-7). Only the
Lord supplies the strength for this accomplishment, but we make the
decision to step out in faith.
Paul writes in Ephesians, “Be
strong in the Lord (be empowered through your union with Him); draw your
strength from Him (that strength which His boundless might provides)”
(Ephesians 6:10, Amplified Bible) Do I want to be a productive and
available tool in God’s hands? Then I must grow in perseverance through
times of suffering, and be available for His purposes. My faith in Jesus
Christ should be my most valued possession! When Jesus calls me home to
test the value of its worth, what will He discover? Shall I have
remained a child or endured and matured?
My attitudes,
thoughts, and desires should be those of a mature adult, and should be
first to arise in difficult circumstance. Most of all, they should spur
me on toward the perfection found only in Christ. What I have within
must be tested to see if it has any worth. Untried, it has no value, but
tried, it is refined by the fire of the Holy Spirit. My friend, Peggy,
faced the road ahead of her with a strength of character that she had
learned in her walk with the Lord. How you we face ours? “Consider it
pure joy,” James writes. We should joyfully learn perseverance from
suffering. God wishes us to understand that it is a joy of the purest
kind.
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