James 1:2-3 (NIV)
Trials and Temptations
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.
I think this verse could be written like this:
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 gives God the opportunity to show you how he can deliver you and that will build your confidence in him. Which will produce perseverance
What is faith
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Faith in Action
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
I don’t need to understand how God is going to work in my life, but rather just trust that he is.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight
James 1:2-3 has been my life verse for 36 years as a Christian only to find out this am that I had the meaning of the verse all wrong,
I always carried the thought that perseverance was the key point.
I kept thinking I need to sum up the energy to persevere and if I did that I would increase my faith. I had it backwards for it is if I increase my faith in God then my ability to persevere will increase.
This morning God showed me the real meaning. Trials test my faith.
When trials come I don’t need to sum up perseverance but rather faith.
The focus is not on me but on who I place my faith in.
Trials should always point me back to Jesus and I will grab hold of his hand, power and strength,
Then he will carry me through. The outcome will be perseverance but God will get the glory not me.
The more trials, the more God gets the glory, the more my faith grows and the more faith I have in God will give me the ability to persevere more.
Perseverance does not develop faith, faith develops perseverance.
Just a thought…
