I'm just sitting here today at the beach.
It's early morning and as I watch the sun break just above the ocean, I can't help but think about how thankful I am, just to be healthy and alive. This morning, God brought some bible verses to mind, specifically from the book of James in the New Testament. After having surgery and overcoming the anxiety surrounding it, I can close my eyes, feel the sun on my face and thank God for my health and my life, and for the fact that the trial is over. By His grace and strength, I have endured. Below, are His words that He shared with me today. In like manner, I share them with you:
- Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,
[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].
Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],
And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.
For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
That last verse is my prayer today for all of those who are enduring trial, temptation, heartache or suffering. We should all endeavor to receive the promised "crown of life" as we persevere through the difficulties of this life!
No comments:
Post a Comment