Joy, Faith, and Patience

James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

I often hear people say, "Whatever you do, don't pray for patience!" I have to admit that I've even said it at times. However, as we ponder today's verses, we see that God wants to produce, or fully work out, our patience. How does He do that? Well, I'm glad you asked. He does it by allowing different types of trials, or tests, to come at us. The words He uses here, "fall into", mean to "be surrounded with". In other words, God surrounds us with, or allows us to be surrounded with, many different trials in order to try our faith, give us the opportunity to choose joy, and strengthen our patience; our ability to endure under various difficulties. The joy that comes from enduring under trying times is that we become more and more like Christ in our responses; not only to the trials themselves, but even towards those who may be the cause of our trials. As a result, we are able to forgive more readily, love and pray for those who persecute us and choose to be our enemies, and also enables us to return good for evil. It is when we become impatient that we snap at others, we stress, and we respond in ways that do not honor the Lord. The best remedy God chose to cure us of being impatient is a variety of trials. So, the bottom line is that we don't even have to pray for patience to have a trying day. Apparently all it takes is being an impatient Christian. That will activate a delightful variety of trials to help us strengthen our faith, build our patience, and help us practice choosing joy in the midst of each one.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).