“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
— James 1:12
James tells us we need to persevere when we are under trial. This means we need to hold on to the Lord and listen through times of testing so we will handle the trial correctly. The Bible also tells us that we shouldn’t act as if something strange is happening to us when we encounter various difficulties in life (1 Pet. 4:12). As we encounter these various trials and hang on to the Lord through them and choose correctly through them, our faith is being refined in the fire so it will come out as pure gold.
Everything you face is an opportunity for refining. So don’t waste your trial! In other words, when you’re about to lose your temper, when you’re about to say something harsh, hold yourself in the peace of God. Maintain a disciplined mind. Continue to abide in Him.
Don’t let the frustration take you off course. Don’t be drawn out of the Lord’s truth.
When we persevere under trial, God establishes us in Him. We become mature in Christ; we are filled afresh with the Spirit of God. We move deeper into the fullness of Jesus Himself, and there is a reward at the other end of that journey: we become more like Yeshua.
This is why when we are facing a trial, we should literally thank God for it because if we handle the trial correctly, it is going to conform us to the image of Messiah Jesus. We’re going to be brought into a place of peace and maturity. We’re going to ascend out of darkness into His marvelous light, and we are going to be rewarded for our perseverance.
Life is a challenge. It is filled with trials, but the Bible says he who overcomes will inherit the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7). Choose rightly, beloved. Don’t waste your trials.
Father God, Your Word declares that the testing of my faith builds perseverance. Help me not to give up in the midst of trials but to run to You, hang on to You, lean on You, and seek You for strength.
Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Revelation (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2020), Used by permission.