“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind 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 1:2-4 (NLT)
I’ve lived long enough to learn troubles are a place of testing and reveal my places of temptation.
I’ve also learned trouble grows endurance and endurance brings benefit (James 1:2-4).
Testing reveals who or what I love most (Deuteronomy 8:2 & 13:3, Hebrews 11:17 & James 1:12).
Temptation comes from my own desires (James 1:13-14).
Jesus understands my temptation during times of testing and He provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:12 & 13 & Hebrews 2:18 & 4:15).
I’ve learned, the hard way, I must recognize my need for help or I won’t take His way.
I want to develop a new way of viewing troubles and hardship. I’m practicing. I take my troubles to Jesus and ask for His perspective. He’s teaching me to see the opportunities to experience the joy of loving Him through my choices (Matthew 22:37-39 & John 15:10-12).
And I want to embrace the growing pains of endurance and receive all the benefits promised to those who endure (Romans 5:3-4, Hebrews 6:12 & 10:36, & James 1:4 & 12).
LORD, thank You for always being with me. Grow my love for You, so I will joyfully embrace every opportunity to choose Your ways over mine. May Your joy be my strength, Jesus. May others desire to know You because they’ve seen You in me.
And LORD, please show Your love in a very tangible way to each one reading this today. Reveal their opportunities to experience the joy of knowing, loving, and trusting You in every trouble, test, and temptation. Amen.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.