Faith and Endurance
God's Living Word - James 1:2-8, NLT
Faith and Endurance
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
Food for thought
At first glance, James’s words seem a bit unrealistic. How can anyone actually rejoice in the face of hardship? The key is to understand that God uses trials to produce “perseverance.” Think of the concept in this way: Without consistent pressure and heat, a lump of coal will never become a diamond. (Notes from The Leadership Bible, NIV © 1998)
May the reading of God’s Living Word touch your heart in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Brother Rubin for IBC