Monday, May 27
The Petoskey is the state stone of Michigan. As a child I would comb the beaches of many lakes for the perfect piece of this fossilized coral. Dull and pitted in its natural state, with repeated sanding and rinsing, the scratches and rough edges would wear away. And once the polishing cream was rubbed in, that stone was a treasure to behold; smooth to the touch with a shine like glass.
An Indian guru once said, “The stones of a river start out rough, but with the current continually bumping and polishing them, they end up being beautiful.” I couldn’t think of a more perfect description of the Christian life. Each of us are as river stones. Rough and jagged around the edges, tossed and turned in the raging current of life. And although no one looks forward to the grating friction brought on by tribulations, James tells us when trouble does come our way we are to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.” (vs. 2)
Why is there joy in trials? Because as James tells us, “the testing of your faith produces perseverance”. (vs. 3) And what is perseverance? A “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” (dictionary.com) Spiritual perseverance means never giving up no matter how hard our circumstance may be. It means trusting that God is using our situation not only to grow our faith, but to work all things together for our good. (Rom. 8:28) And there is great joy to be found in knowing that our Father does so in love, with the purpose of making us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (vs. 4)
“The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.”...Daniel Defoe
No one is exempt from the trials of life. And although painful, James tells there is much to be gained from the perseverance of weathering the storm. For just like a Roman philosopher once said, “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” In 1 Peter 2:4, Jesus is called a, “living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God.” We too are choice and precious stones to God. He lovingly refines and purifies us until we are smoothed by faith and polished by perseverance. There is no one who endured or persevered more than Christ. And as His followers it is our goal to each day become more like Him and to follow His example. Doing so not only deepens our relationship with God, to those who endure to the end James promises a great reward. “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him”. (vs. 12) And as for me, knowing that I will be spending eternity in paradise with the Lord, is worth any trial or tribulation, no matter how hard!
For more encouragement, follow the link! http://t2womenintheword.blogspot.com/2017/11/walking-in-diligent-perseverance-2.html
