Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a devotional with you from James1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James is writing to the twelve tribes scattered all over, he begins with talking about trials, what a great way to start a letter. However, It is an encouragement for the twelve tribes and us today that within our trials it produces something good out of it. We do not often think of joy when it comes to our trials. James is saying here that we should not be rushing through or past our suffering because it is uncomfortable or hard, but to let perseverance finish its work. We often ask God to take away the trials or the suffering we may be feeling, however it is to allow ourselves to be tested and that is where our faith grows closer to Jesus as we look to Him for for our strength through the trials. James implies that trials are inevitable it is how we respond to those trials and who we look to for strength as our faith gets tested. It is in that testing we can have perseverance and grow to the fullness of who God called us to be. May we remember that whatever trial you are facing today that Jesus is right there and look to him for strength as we grow our faith thus growing our perseverance and maturity.
Blessings,
Esther