Victim or Victor?

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

If you have been reading the devotional this past week, you know that the staff has just returned back from a week long retreat. One of the lessons that I taught on was growing and maturing through trials. One of the verses that I taught on was from James 1:2-4.

Some people think that if you become a Christian that you won’t have any problems. James 1:2-4 teaches us that trials in life are not electives. They are a required course. No one is immune from problems. Problems are inevitable and unpredictable. Covid-19 has been an example of an unpredictable trial.

Psalm 34:19 says “many are the afflictions of the righteous.” I Peter 4:12 says, “Don’t be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “we are afflicted in every way.” But, what do we do when we have problems? James writes that we should consider it pure joy. And why, because the testing of our faith helps us to grow and mature. That is God’s goal for each of our lives, to grow us and mature us in faith.

One of my favorites quotes was given to me just after my first wife Cheryl was killed in an auto accident 12 days after we were married. It goes:

“We cannot tell what may happen to us in this strange medley that we call life, but we can determine what happens within us, how we take it, how we deal with it, that is the test of living and that is what really counts in the end. How to take the raw stuff of life and turn it into a thing of worth and beauty, that is the test of living. Life is an adventure of faith if we are to be victors over it and not victims of it. Faith in the God above us, faith in the little infinite soul within us, faith in life and with our fellow souls, without faith, the plus quality, we cannot really live.

Thought For Today: Take time today to examine your life today. Are your life circumstances causing you to feel like a victim or a victor? What are you learning about God from this trial? What do you think God is trying to teach you through this trial?

Today’s Prayer Focus: Who are what comes to your mind today? Take time to pray what is close to your heart and mind. Deo Volente.