Perseverance

Swiss Cheese Faith

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers 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).

What is this thing called perseverance anyway? And, why are we called to be joyful while in the midst of suffering? I, for one, seem to prefer complaining and feeling miserable when struggling through a trial. Come on. Admit it. You do too. We are human and it is built into our very fallible natures to think we are being wronged when we are faced with any type of difficulty. Our culture supports this. One only need look at the myriad of advertising ploys and the media to learn that some company somewhere can erase our suffering for even the most minor of ailments.

God has a totally different perspective on suffering. It isn't really that He wants to hurt us. He wants to teach us, to draw us and to grow us. Sometimes that takes adversity! Sometimes it takes being brought to our wrinkled and dimpled knees to learn that God is in control—that HE is the One with the power. Our Father always has our best interest at heart. He knows that we often learn when we are zeroed out by our own pain. That way, HE is able to fill us up to the brim with what is meaningful and productive.

In the above Scripture verse, James was exhorting the twelve tribes to utilize whatever suffering they endured as a tool for spiritual growth and maturity—the ultimate goal in their relationship with God. But, it was imperative that they were joyful during the trial. Joy and happiness are very different birds. Happiness centers on earthly circumstances. It flies high for a time but can easily be de-skied by the weighty stuff of life. Joy is God-oriented because He is with us; encouraging, teaching and strengthening us in the circumstance. Joy is a soaring bird that hangs high in the sky on the very breath of Life!

John Darby stated, “It is important to notice the moral measure of the life which this epistle presents. As soon as we apprehend the position in which it views believers, the discernment of the truth on this point is not difficult. It is the same as that which Christ presented when walking in the midst of Israel and setting before His disciples the light, and the relationships with God, which resulted to them from HIS presence. Now indeed He was absent; but that light and those relationships are retained as a measure of responsibility.” God is calling us to make decisive personal choices about how we conduct our lives. James tells us further in this “epistle,” “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves, Do what it says,” (Jas, 1:22).

God's plan is perfect. Perhaps our perspective limits seeing that within a particular crisis, but trusting God and accepting what He gives, will release God's joy in our hearts. Trials serve a purpose; whether we like them or not, whether we think we deserve them or not or whether we feel we can endure them or not. They serve HIS purpose! Trials are woven intricately into the fabric of life as God's little teachers. If we are human, we need to plan on unraveling a few.

Romans 5:10 tells us,”…But we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.” The possibility of freedom in a trial comes from this sparkling hope.

Darby stated, “The liberty of the new man is liberty to do the Will of God, to imitate God in character, as being His dear child according to that character as presented in Christ. The law of liberty is this character, as it is revealed in the Word, in which the new nature finds its joy and satisfaction; even as it drew its existence from the Word which reveals Him, and from the God who is therein revealed.”

       Our joy then is derived from being like Christ in response to our trials. It bubbles forth as a response to God's love and direction. Our joy is not found in the trial ending necessarily, but in what part of HIM is developed IN us during it. The ending of a trial may be sweet, but embracing God's plan during it serves our character development much more. In fact, each trial is custom designed for our particular lives as a tool to diminish our weaknesses and develop Godly character.

       So, this is very big stuff because every single one of us is probably facing or has faced or will face a difficulty in our lives. I am smack dab in the middle of a painful trial myself, one that grieves my heart greatly.

This is what God has shown me in this day by day, one step in front of the other trial:

1.     TRUST ME!!!!

2.      Accept this trial, (don't struggle like a wounded animal in a net)!

3.     Read the Word and pray.

4.     Grieve but don't wallow.

5.     Listen to ME.

6.     Do what I say.

7.     TRUST ME!!!!

We need to learn to expect the unexpected trials because they are God's perfectly tailored gift for learning to be more like His precious Son. And it might help to remember that each step toward God during a trial is a step on Satan's pointy little pea brain. That, in itself, is worth a lot!

Adrian Rogers once said, “A faith that can't be tested, can't be trusted.” This truth could aid in preventing us from handing more tasty morsels of ourselves over to the enemy. Eventually those morsels become chunks and we are left with a Swiss cheese faith—not the kind of mature faith that pleases God.

Michele's Bio:

Michele is a freelance writer for Heartbeatthemagazine.com. She writes for various venues, such as: her blog site, twitter and revelife. She also does blog book reviews for Multnomah Press on her blog site.

Michele has a Master's Degree in Counseling and works in the public school system. That experience has afforded her a God's-eye view into the world's empty promises.

She is the mother of a 24 year old son, who is undeniably God's greatest gift on earth to her.

Michele divides her “free” time among several interests: jazzercise, kickboxing, running, cross-country skiing reading and writing.

Her most satisfying experiences though, are teaching and conveying the perfect Word of God to hurting and broken women. There is nothing quite as exciting as witnessing the spiritual dawning that occurs when God reveals His forgiveness and power in someone's life.

You may contact Michele through this magazine at: feedback@heartbeatthemagazine.com or at www.xanga.com/catzndogz9

She welcomes your sincere comments and suggestions.