June 26

Good Tuesday morning to you! I was reading in James this morning and I didn’t get far. I kept going over and over the first four verses. 


“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬


I think this little passage is so confusing. Not the part about counting your trials joy, well maybe that is too actually. So instead of worry lines, we are to be making laugh lines through troubles? That seems difficult. Not only difficult but a little on the crazy side until you read a little further. James said it’s because it’s like exercise for your faith, it’s a way to work it out and make it stronger. (And we all know there was never an effective exercise that wasn’t painful!)


When your faith is tested, it grows and your endurance strengthens. Obviously our faith can stretch and expand (unlike my patience that has limits) and as it does, we get stronger every time we go through a trial. Then, each time, it gets easier to rely on Him and to believe He has it under His control. And through every trial, we grow up a little bit more, gain a little more maturity. 


The part that baffles me this morning is the “you will get perfect and complete, needing nothing” part. After reading it a dozen or more times and some serious meditation and some commentary work, I think what he’s saying here is that this is the goal we are all striving toward as Christians—to be fully mature. But we aren’t there yet and won’t get there this side of heaven. That doesn’t mean we don’t keep pushing toward that goal, keep working on maturity. I’m never going to look like a TV star, but I still fix my hair everyday or the track star that wants to have the perfect race—it can always be better. 


So my take away from this? Keep trying. Keep pushing through whatever the mess you might be in, and try your best to just smile and think about how you are growing through it all and one day, we will all be perfect! 


Lord thank you for your promises in your Word. The explanations and guidance from the saints of old whom you breathed inspiration into give us a light for our path. Praise you El Elyon, the God most high, to you we sing, our only wise King. Guide us this day through the trials and heartaches of life and help us Father to truly count it as joy and grow. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree.  And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Sp
Read more

January 15, 2020

Happy Wednesday to you. I hope your week is going well. Yesterday, I went to Sams. I was out of things like trash bags, toilet paper, and chicken, so off I went. I like going to Sams because there is always lots to look at and the isles are nice and wide. Everytime I’m there, I am amazed at how much stuff and everything from diapers to TVs to mangos to beds. It just seems incredible that so many things in such quantities are all under one roof.  King David never saw a store with as much stuff aa Sams of course, but he did see countless miracles and understand that God has plans. He knew from creation and history that he was serving a God of miracles and he know that God loved him and his people and would take care of them. He was amazed and awe-struck by the fact that a God who had done such great and mighty things not only cared about his people but that He loved them with such a great love.  “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can co
Read more

January 9, 2020

It’s Thursday and I woke up to the blowing wind! Lots of it—I’m dreading Boomer waking up and having to go outside with him. That harsh, bitter wind seems cruel and almost evil. But I’ll wrap myself up with a fe layers and boots and brave it all.  Sometimes I think we try to do that with things we know aren’t right—things that are evil. We try to wrap ourselves up and just wade into it, but Paul tells us we should reject it—stay away from it. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:20-24‬ NIV When he wrote this he’d been in Berea and the Christians there diligently searched the scriptures to make sure everything Paul said was in line. Paul here is encouraging the Thessalonians to
Read more