"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, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).
In every aspect of our lives people tell us to "lift up our chin" or "just shake it off" or "this is just a season of time" or "this will pass, be patient" or something else profound that they probably heard from someone else somewhere down the road.
I'm not speaking out of school; I know what I am talking about. I have a family member that I love dearly and always tells me "you'll get through this, just keep on keepin' on!" Well sometimes I don't feel like "keepin' on". I don't want cancer in my body and my life. It is unimaginable to what degree it affects your lifestyle, and you probably feel the same way from trial to trial in your life.
But hopefully, like myself, when people (who don't necessarily have the "gift of encouragement) try to encourage you by passing by the major emotional upheaval in your life, you understand that God, as He stands beside you, really sees the big picture and knows why you are experiencing this trial. It's easy to read "Consider it all joy" in the book of James, but it's not so easy to understand why this "mess" is taking place in your life. BUT GOD KNOWS THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES ENDURANCE.
I have found that "endurance" is a very big word in life. When I think of endurance, I think of what Jesus must have felt as He hung between heaven and earth, nailed to a wooden cross. Guiltless and sinless, He displayed the most dramatic form of endurance ever shown in one person's life for all the world to see. And when He experienced this trial, He DID NOT call down angels from heaven to comfort Him. He DID NOT change His mind and call on His Father in heaven to remove this cup. And even though it was necessary for God to turn His back on His Son, as He was being filled with the sins of the world, God did not say, "you'll get through this, Son! Just keep on keepin' on" or "just shake it off, Son...it's just a little pain for a little while!" God didn't say "keep your chin up, Son" it will get better.
God loves ALL of His children, from Jesus Christ to me and He wants us to see the value in enduring trials in our lives. They are tough! They do hurt! And is some cases, they do kill the body. But the last thing that the half brother of Jesus (James) explains in verse 4 is "that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Two things I see here is "Perfection and completion" and "lacking in nothing." From the cross at Calvary, one of the last things that Jesus uttered while "enduring" was "It Is Finished!" In fact, He didn't just say it, He shouted it so that all of eternity could here the declaration of His finished work for those who would trust Him in "perfection and completion and lack absolutely nothing" with His finished work.
Today you may be experiencing a trial that looks "too" difficult to tolerate. So difficult that not only can you not "lift up your chin" but you can't even hold your head up for the pain physically and emotionally. Know this: Jesus Christ is beside you even if you are laying on the floor unable to stand upright from the trial. And all the while He is producing in you endurance that molds into "perfection and completion" and you, at this point, even though you cannot lift your head, are "lacking in nothing" in the presence of the Lord Almighty!
In verse 12, James says "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
If I die tomorrow from this terrible disease called cancer and even though I haven't always been a hero through it all, I get this "crown of life" when it is all over because THIS is what God has promised.
May the God of difficult circumstances, care for you like no other being in life can do!
Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment