Scripture:
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 1:3-4
Observation:
James starts his letter with a sense of urgency to communicate about the importance of endurance. James indicates that endurance needs to grow because it will shape our character and set us up for anything the Lord wants in our lives. When our faith is tested we have an opportunity to grow, but if our endurance is short, we will not be able to develop our character and miss the opportunity. In our lifetime we will have more opportunities to grow in character. That’s why we need to start growing in endurance, go through quitting points, and expect great rewards after we endure during difficult times. Endurance is the air the blows our character - the more endurance we grow, the more character we will develop.
Application:
This message is so important today because our microwave postmodern society demands immediacy. Character is not developed overnight and we need endurance and strength for the long haul. We cannot cut and run. We need to stay and endure in the midst of the tests of our faith. My son David has become a role model of endurance. This week we are taking an intensive neurological therapy that will help to develop his brain and overcome the effects of autism. As part of the therapy, he has to creep with chest and stomach on the ground for several minutes a day. Yesterday he did 2 hours of creeping! I couldn’t even do it for 5 minutes! The neurologist’s research indicates that as he creeps, his brain will make important connections that will result in major development on basic traits like speech. In several moments he stops to rest, or lifts up his chest, or goes sideways. Obviously he is tired. But somehow, he finds the strength to keep going and going. He doesn’t understand what will result of all the creeping, but we know that great results and growth will come in his life as he endures.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for teaching me so much about endurance during this week. I don’t like the uncomfortable seasons when I go through life creeping, stomach and chest on the ground. I want to give up and go back to the familiar, even if the familiar keeps me from growing and developing more character. Please teach me to endure, to find the strength and the trust in you when my faith is tested. There are so many things I want to give up, yet they are in my life to develop more endurance. Please give me more resilience to keep creeping, to keep my face on the ground, to stay humble when my flesh wants to raise in pride, and to surrender all to you! I love you Jesus. Amen!
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1 comment:
Dear Pastor Fernando,
Thank you for your example of endurance!
It's bad enough when our own bodies suffer health problems. I cannot imagine my prescious little child, suffering health problems,...that he's not understanding what is going on must be the worst, because he's looking to his parents to make things better.
Thank you, for helping me to get my selfish eyes, off of me and onto someone elses suffering. This gives me strength to go on,...to endure my own health challenges, realizing that it could be so much worse. Nothing could be worse, than when our little children suffer,...Nothing!
I confess to you my selfishness in thinking only of myself, when the world is filled with others who's suffering is greater than my own.
Thank you Karen & Pastor for enduring! Our prayers are for David's healing and for Karen and you, to continue to endure,... as doers of the word and not hearers only!
Mahalo,
Jny
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