Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3
The book of James is like a hot stove in my secret places only God and I know about. When I touch it I get burned. But as a maturing, spiritual adult, I know fire is a purifying agent as well, and so, I return to that which I know I need from the brother of Jesus who didn’t believe until after the resurrection.
James remained in Jerusalem during Rome’s occupation that resulted in great hardship and persecution for the early believers both Jew and Gentile. He found the secret to spiritual strength. It is a faith proven in calm joy, because there will be a day when God will wipe away all tears.
Patience works perfection and wisdom is our source of sound judgment in the practical, feet on the ground everyday life. Prayer is the means by which we access all of the above. Unwavering faith isn’t our default setting, but it can become our mind’s algorithm when we make it our choice to believe in the impossible and expect a miracle.
Love,
Gretchen