Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
The Great Mark of Maturity
Pastor Scott
Thursday, June 24, 2004
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"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
(James 1:2-3)
In this growth process of our lives, the crucible of trials and tests reveal to us the conditions of our hearts. When James talks about counting it all joy, he is not saying to enjoy the trial but to rejoice in the midst of it. These trials, tests, and afflictions hurt. They are grievous for the moment, the Scripture says, but they work in us the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11). When these trials and tribulations come, don't say, "What's wrong with me? I just don't seem to be enjoying this!" We don't enjoy them, but we rejoice in the hope of what the trials are working in us. We boast in the goodness of God that He has found us worthy to experience these trials.
James 1:2-3 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." The trying of your faith works patience. If there are trials in your life, then you can rejoice that you have faith, because what's being tried is not your character but your faith. The trying of your faith will establish character in you. Your character will be combined with the amount of faith that's in you to determine whether or not you stand and learn. Your faith is being tried so you can rejoice that you've been counted worthy as one that has faith.
Do not be fearful in the midst of trials that they will destroy us or our loved ones--a spouse, a child. The Scripture makes it very clear that we will not be tempted past that we are able to stand (1 Cor. 10:13). Thank God that the trials won't kill us but only make us better and purify us. It is a learning process. Of course, in the midst of it, we think we are going to die. Many times in the midst of these life transforming trials, we wish we were dead. But at the same time, we have to understand that we won't be tempted past that which we're able to stand. When I say die, I don't mean physically but spiritually. These incidents won't remove you from God; they conform you more and more to His image.
"[So] let patience have [it's] perfect [final, complete] work, that [you] may be [made] perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:4). In the process God wants us to grow up. One of the greatest marks of a mature believer is patience--not calling fire out of heaven or raising the dead. How mature are you? One of the greatest signs of adolescence or childishness is impatience--"I have to have it now." Having this "everything has to be now" attitude causes a lack of character, such as sobriety, in our lives.
Some of us have a greater problem with impatience than others, which may be the prominence of selfishness due to a lack of patience in our lives. I'm one of those people that really battles with that. If I get headed in some direction, I want it done yesterday. Over the last twenty years, the Lord has really helped me; and it's an amazing thing. I know how much more patient I am now than I used to be, but it really is scary how much more I need. As we look at tests and trials, patience is this quality working in us to reveal the maturity in our lives.