This Day in History: 0000-03-05

March 5 – James 1:2-4

Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble of any kind come your ways, 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.

Are you facing a trial or some sort of trouble?  Does it seem like an opportunity for great joy?  Of course not, these verses seem ridiculous from a human perspective.  As I write this, I’m in a season of sadness. Trying to find a way out of the darkness. The fact is, trials and troubles are painful!  Who’s going to get excited about pain? Who’s going to be able to see an opportunity for joy in that?

But as the children of God, that’s exactly what we’ve been called to do.  Our Heavenly Father expects us to keep our focus far beyond today’s difficulties.  We must learn to look ahead to the sanctifying work that God will complete one day in us, making us perfect.  Trials, troubles, pain and sorrow are all opportunities for us to sharpen our faith.  To lean into our Lord and find the strength to endure.  To accept the comfort we’ve been offered in the arms of our Abba Father so that we never waiver.

Precious friends, one day we will be perfect.  We’ll be finished. Complete. Needing nothing!  We’ll have the joy of spending eternity in the home of God; the dearly loved children of the High King of Heaven!  I know it’s not easy, but let’s do our best to stay focused on that truth so that the trials of today will pail in comparison to the joy of knowing that we are being sanctified. Let’s endure to the end and finish well.