Trying Times
My brethren, count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing
this, that the trying of your
faith worketh patience. 4 But
let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:2-5 (KJV)
When the pressure is turned up & your
faith is tried. When temptations to compromise abound—the temptation to lie, to
just keep “a little” back for yourself, to be lazy, to do your labors
half-heartedly, to wink at “the flirt” in the office, to watch movies you know
aren’t good for your soul, to dwell on thoughts that are impure, or to stop
longsuffering the people who rub you wrong.
In the midst of all those things Rejoice! God is developing
patience in you!
God’s got a plan in this.
God’s got a plan in this.
Patience is one of the fruits of the
Spirit. While it is never “fully developed” on this earth, as we follow the
Spirit, the fruits increase and develop more fully. They become richer and more
abundant. Down the road these trying times will have been the furnace through
which you became a little more patient and self-controlled.
God’s not looking for us to be perfect, but to be going the
right direction—following after Him on the straight and narrow.
Let the process of the Lord developing
patience in you play out—so you’ll be prepared for and where God wants you to
be later on.
Take comfort, God holds your future.
…if it is wisdom that you are lacking
on how to cope/deal/address all the trying dilemmas you’re facing, ask God for
wisdom. The Scripture says that God gives liberally, that’s generously, to
those who ask Him for wisdom.
