From Trials of faith to Patience

14
Feb

James 1:3—”The trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Let us look at examples of where we commonly see ‘trying of your faith’:
-when men/boys speak or pass lewd jokes at your work place or place of study.
-when girls ridicule you for being different.
-when peers taunt you for no habits of smoking, alcohol, or drug abuse.
-when colleagues jab you for being too holy to use fake bills or documents.
-when people cut into your lane in traffic.
In today’s world, these account for a minuscule amount compared to the real thing, when we try to maintain our righteousness. The word for “trying” implies a “test,” and a “discipline” that leads to improvement.

What are we meant to do then?
-“let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” for righteousness.
-“lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word” to save our souls.
-“be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only”
-“visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” and “keep himself unspotted from the world”.

We should not pray for the removal of afflictions, temptations, or trials of our faith, rather for wisdom to make right use of them. The Bible teaches us to be joyful under troubles; such are sent from God’s love. We must ensure to have patience, than passion, work in us – in our talk and actions. When the work of patience completes, it will bring special graces for our race and purpose in life. This grace of God will keeps us humble and teach us to seek happiness in and from God, not from perishing enjoyments. God’s grace of patience has trials as the cost to procure it. Patience, a surpassing and most excellent virtue, is brought about in us by this means. Remember that – “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”