Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
– James 1:2-4
My husband, Dan, can be frustratingly practical at times. When faced with obstacles, from a leaky sink to obstinate teenagers, he wants to get to the point, figure out a plan, and start fixing things as quickly as possible. (“Let’s just get ‘er done,” is his favorite rallying cry). He’s willing to do the hard work, but he really wants a plan.
Isn’t this true for a lot of us in our faith journeys? “God, I’ll do what you want, just tell me what that is…”
Not surprisingly, Dan’s favorite book of the Bible is James. It was written by Jesus’ half-brother, James, to pockets of Christians scattered throughout the Mediterranean as sort of a “how to” manual for Christian living. It’s a very practical, no-nonsense guidebook that tells us how to put our faith into action.
One of the greatest examples I’ve seen of this, is my friend Alice during her battle with cancer. When, after a long remission the cancer returned, she doubled down on her faith and encouraged others who were battling cancer by pointing them towards God’s word and strength. She shared her faith in Jesus with nurses, doctors, other patients, neighbors, and newcomers at church. She also made it a point to mentor me as a writer. Alice never stopped being a voice on this earth for God until God called her home last summer.
The last time I saw Alice alive, she was lying in bed barely able to eat or drink. Still, she was ready, as always, with my next writing assignment. I could see joy in her spirit, knowing that I would write many of the things she had taught me. She stood as an example of how to face the trials of life with a joy given by God.
We’re going to spend the next couple of weeks studying James. Let’s work together to grow stronger in our faith and move in the direction He has planned for us.
The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!
Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think? Have a comment or a story? Share them here. We love to hear from you!