Have you ever felt the frustration of thinking your faith isn’t working? You may wonder why your situation, your health, or your prayers aren’t coming up roses. You may question the faith you had once considered unshakeable and wonder what happened to that person you once were. If you’re on that train with me, before I quote scripture that you probably could quote yourself, I’d like to pray.
Lord Jesus, let your words permeate the barriers that have risen against the moving of your Spirit in our lives. Help us hear with new ears and see with new eyes what the Holy Spirit is revealing to us.
In the book of James there is a passage we don’t want written on our coffee cup, but it’s there for a reason — for our good.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:2-3 NKJV
For starters, it seems to me that the testing of my faith is producing doubt and despair. You may guess I’m still feeling depressed. I even considered quitting writing this blog, telling myself I had nothing that would offer encouragement for my readers. So when James tells me to count it all joy, it falls on deaf ears or worse, causes me to scoff.
But patience is a desirable trait. One that requires patience to grow. Lol. So let’s look at the pattern of growing faith. First by finishing the passage above.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:4 NKJV
Though the work of patience may be difficult, the end result revealed in this scripture is beyond what we might imagine. So let’s get this straight — the trials that are testing our faith produce patience in us, perfecting and completing us until we lack nothing. This would deserve a great joyful celebration, don’t you agree?
Here’s the next pattern of growth.
Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don’t grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven.
2 Peter 1:5-9 CEV
Patience falls in the middle of this stack. It’s like the tipping point between the inner workings and the outer expression of a person’s faith, not exclusively, mind you, but that’s what what I drew out of it today.
I found this next scripture enlightening.
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Galatians 6:7-9 NLT
I was looking for this scripture because it tells us not to give up. The bonus revelation was verse 7 — the justice of God is explained, you reap what you sow. In God’s kingdom, patiently doing good brings us the harvest of blessing. We sow seeds of patience in the season or soil of trials. And then we wait.
But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired. [Heb 12:1-3]
Isaiah 40:31 AMP
So if your faith is wavering and your patience is wearing thin, hold onto God’s word as you hold onto God’s hand. For it is in his strength we are renewed and can fly.
Grace & Peace,
Sandy