◄ What Does James 1:4 Mean? ►

Whether we are faced with fleshly temptations that rise up from our old sin nature or testing trials that come from above, we know that God takes all things and weaves them beautifully together for good, to those that love God and are called by grace through faith in Christ, according to His good purpose.

But how often we desire a life that is free from trouble and swimming in happy blessings. How often our pleading prayer is for an escape from the fiery trials that we may be facing, without recognising that there are important lessons in all circumstances of life which God desires for us to learn; lessons which teach us spiritual truths that we might otherwise have missed.

Despondency and discouragement should not replace our joy in the Lord. Difficult trials and disappointing happenings are used by God to test our trust in Him and to draw us into a deeper dependency upon His faithful provision and His unconditional love.

Paul calls us to rejoice in the Lord always, even during those difficult times of testing. Peter reminds us to be truly glad, no matter what difficulties we may be called upon to face. He reminds us that, even though for a time we have to endure many trials in life, there is wonderful joy ahead.

And the instruction we receive from James is no different from the godly advice we have from the other apostles. James calls us to meet our various trials with an attitude of joyful thanksgiving, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. If we meet endurance with a godly attitude of complete dependence upon God and trust in His unfailing Word, we discover that the end result of that testing trial will be the perfecting of our faith as we grow in grace and draw closer to our Heavenly Father - in love.

Let us be increasingly aware that the trials of life are used by God for our eternal benefit and for His greater glory. Paul discovered the wonderful truth that God's grace is sufficient to meet all the difficulties and dangers that we may encounter in life.

The greater the trial, the wider the arms of God's sufficient grace are extended to lift us up, carry us through, and draw us into a depth of intimacy with Himself that we would otherwise have missed. So: "Let endurance have its perfect result," so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your grace is sufficient for every trial and difficulty that I will face in my life. May I be ready and willing to patiently learn the lessons that You would teach me in each situation in life, knowing that I am being perfected in the process. Help me learn to patiently endure with joyful thanks. In Jesus' name, AMEN.