Verse: James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Devotion
Yesterday my son asked me to “spot” him while he was lifting some weights. When I went to do this, he didn’t just lift them once and then call it a day. He lifted them repeatedly, and it got harder and harder, but he kept going until he finished his set. Then he took a rest, and did it again. And again. He’s obviously trying to increase his strength, and to do so you have to put those muscles under tension for a time. In fact some work out people call it, “time under tension.” Your muscles have to persevere through the strain in order for them to grow and get stronger.
The part of this verse that is jumping out at me today is “let perseverance finish its work.” If I were to translate that I might say, “don’t give up on faith when life is really hard.” Some of us are going through really tough times right now. There’s no other way to say it, life is so hard sometimes. And the encouragement of James here is, “don’t give up.”
Nobody wants to go through hard times. But the truth is that “time under tension” strengthens our faith. That time under tension tests our faith like lifting weights tests your muscles. It strains your faith, and therefore, makes your faith stronger. But we can short circuit that work by giving up on faith, by ceasing to trust God, by deciding to stop praying, worshipping, and reading the Word. James is saying, even though it’s hard right now, do the opposite of giving up—lean in. Lean into God. Lean into your faith. Lean into his grace. Lean into his strength. Lean in…persevere…don’t give up….let perseverance finish it’s work. There is work that is happening, don’t stop. For God is working in and through you and as you keep going he is making you mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Let’s pray for God’s grace today to not give up. Let’s also pray for those we know who need that grace. And maybe even, if you know someone who is struggling, shoot them an encouraging text letting them know you are praying!
Author: Christian Dunn
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