The Testing of Your Faith Produces Patience

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3 Many Christians read James comment about suffering (that difficulties and trials produce faith, patience, and joy) and simply don’t believe it – or don’t want to believe it! Those who do believe it often feel frustrated and defeated because they don’t see the result promised. Count it joy? You’ve got to be kidding! To see these trials produce results in our lives, we need to undergo a radical reorientation. Years ago, cultural critic, Francis Schaeffer observed that most of us supremely value “personal peace and affluence”. Anything that gets in the way of those values, is, to say the least, unwelcome. But in the Kingdom of God, those things aren’t that valuable, and in fact, they can get in the way of what God truly values. He treasures our faith in Him through thick and thin, but He knows that faith is built most effectively in times of difficulty. For that reason, God, our loving and attentive Father, allows problems in our lives so that we learn to trust in Him. Author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot notes that suffering takes all kinds of forms. Her broad definition is, “Not having what you want, or having what you don’t want.” Every obstacle, every annoyance, and every genuine heartache in our lives is part of God’s curriculum to produce persistent, tenacious, deep, trust in Him. Patience isn’t killing time until we experience more personal peace and affluence. It’s riveting our affections on God and His purposes every moment of every day. What are some ways the pursuit of “personal peace and affluence” erodes patience and persistent faith in God in your life? How would it help you to realize that every difficulty in your life is part of God’s curriculum to teach you faith and patience and joy? I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com