Patience/Rejoice in Trials

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for trials and divers temptations ☺ The Bible says:

Primary Text: James 1:2-4
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1v2-4 (KJV)

“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.” James 1v2-4 (AMP)

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, 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.” James 1v2-4 (NLT)

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” James 1v2-4 (MSG)

“My brothers and sisters, when you have many kind of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.” James 1v2-4 (NCV)

The Bible here is encouraging us to take a certain perspective on trials and troubles and challenges that come, which is, one of joy. Wow. How many times have we actually sat down in the midst of a difficult situation and thought, what am I learning from this? What can I take out of this? Again, how many times have we gone back to reflect on a trial we have gone through to see what more we learnt about God and His ways. Patience, patience through the trials beloved. The Psalmist wrote “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept Thy word” (Psalm 119v67) and “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes” (Psalm 119v71). So we see here that affliction can help us learn God’s statutes. It could also help you to pray more as the Bible says “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray…” (James 5v13). One translation even says that we should not try to get out of these troubles and trials prematurely. Hallelujah. So when those challenges come in their different shapes, forms and sizes, rejoice and thank God and see it as a gift, for it is another way for your faith to grow. At the end of the day, “you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.” Hallelujah.

Supplementary Text:
“My friends, do not be surprised at the terrible trouble which now comes to test you. Do not think that something strange is happening to you. But be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory. When people insult you because you follow Christ, you are blessed, because the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is with you.” 1 Peter 4v12-14 (NCV)

Prayer
Father, we thank You for Your Word. Father, we ask for the grace to endure the challenges that come, and let patience have her perfect work in Jesus name, amen.

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