https://odb.org/2025/04/25/832-steps
James 1:2–6, 12 (NIV):
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. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Sometimes, we equate testing in our faith with the trials and tribulations of life. As we persevere to make ends meet, we see and experience the grace and mercy and provision and providence of God.
Life brings its share of challenges. From young when we learn how to walk and speak, to learning how to read, write, and count when we reach kindergarten and primary school to socialising and sports and learning more complex stuff in secondary and university.
Then, we face new challenges as a rookie at work, how to survive and succeed in the corporate or work set up. From having our finances taken care of by our parents or through loans or grants for our university education, we then embark on a journey of financial independence, attempting to accumulate wealth to provide for our family and prepare for our old age.
If we are in the faith, we will likely do well to retire with enough savings to see us through our old age provided we are thrifty and careful with money when we are no longer earning. This is because the Lord will take care of our needs for this life.
However, James is not actually talking about the above. It is not about testing in life but testing of our faith that leads to perseverance and which brings us to maturity and completion in our faith, lacking nothing. In the end, we will receive our crown of life.
Paul puts it in another way in the oft-quoted Romans 5:3-4 that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance, character, and character hope. In other words, the suffering and hardship we go through on account of our faith will bring us to the hope of glory. Our faith and fire for Jesus burns bright and strong despite the persecution we may go through because we honour God with our lives. In spite of the difficulties and sufferings life brings, our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is not only unwavering but becomes even stronger.
We serve Him more and give glory to Him more even if we are out of a job or lost someone we dearly loved or faced major disappointments in life. Even if we are fighting a life-threatening illness, our faith in God is unchanging because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. We will not give up on God. We will strive on and serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength because Jesus Christ is our Lord, and God is our Heavenly Father. We hold on tight to the eternal life Jesus promised us, the hope Paul talked about in Romans 5:4.
My exaltation for us today is that in whatever we are facing in life that tests our faith, make sure that we persevere through and keep our faith in Christ Jesus intact. Our fire must burn bright and brighter for Him. Serve Him. Continue to be a good and faithful servant for our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!
Ronnie's Thoughts 