“When faith is tested . . your endurance has a chance to grow; so let it grow.” James 1:3 NLT
“You only grow when you change, and you only change when your faith is tested.”
My thoughts today are about “how it works.”
Got to Barnes and Noble and you will find shelves filled with “how to” books – instruction on about any topic you can imagine. You have probably seen the extensive series of books “for Dummies” with their distinctive yellow covers. Google revealed 320 books in the published series available at amazon.com.
Do you ever find it amazing that people have such a need and curiosity about everyday things and so little interest to know how life works, or attention to the Bible which best teaches exactly that? Maybe someone should print a Bible with a recognizable yellow and black jacket with the cute little nerd and titled, “Life for Dummies. All -in-one Desk Reference”
Is life working for you? If not, maybe you are trying to make life work the way you wish it would, rather than the way God says it will. You want life to work, don’t you? Of course you do! You want your relationships to work well. You have every hope that your marriage and family will be harmonious and loving. You desire to make choices and decisions wisely. You want to handle your finances successfully. You intend for life to be meaningful and fulfilling.
That’s how you suppose life should work, but you struggle to get it right. The Bible tells you how it works. Jesus explained the problem and the solution, “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life. Yet you will not come to Me, that you might have life.” John 5:39-40 KJV. God is the creator and author of life; don’t you think He would best know how it works?
You will never become what God wants you to be, as long as you insist on remaining as you are. Too much energy is wasted by people trying to change circumstances in order to improve their life, when letting God change your life would a wiser use of your time and effort. That’s where real change has to first happen. You only grow when you change, and you only change when your faith is tested.
“Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For 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 strong in character and ready for anything.” James 1:2-4 NLT. Trouble and joy used in the same sentence and context? Now that’s how it works, though foreign to the way most people live.
James is simply stating that every challenge gives you the chance to change, but to do that you need wisdom and perspective you do not naturally possess. “If any man lacks wisdom, he should ask of God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and wisdom will be given to them.” James 1:5 NLT. Wisdom is best described as the ability to see life from God’s perspective. When you have true wisdom, you will understand how life works. See John 10:10/1 John 5:11-12/James 3:13-18 NIV.
My prayer for you today is: seek and have Godly wisdom to know how life works.