Scripture:
James 1:12 "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him".
Observation:
James is speaking just prior to this about the testing of your faith and remaining strong during the tough times. Here we see that the blessing of God is a result of enduring testing and temptation. When we endure testing and temptation while standing firm in our faith, we increase the blessing of God in our lives. It also says that we will receive the crown of life that God has promised those of us who love Him.
Application:
Endurance is probably one of the hardest things to get in the Christian life. We like to think that following God means we will never have a problem. When we hear about endurance it means that there must be something in the Christian life that we have to endure and you only endure things that are not pleasant. If you want the blessing of God in your life, you must come to the place where God can trust that you will serve Him in the good times and in the bad times and that temptation won't make you fall. When you endure trials and temptations, you are letting the Lord know He can trust you in the thick and thin of life.
Prayer:
Lord, help me learn endurance. I want to live in the blessing of God and realize that endurance is a key to inheriting that blessing. I love quick results, but You love it when we continue to persevere when we are not seeing the results we want. Forgive me for trying to get ahead of you and make things happen on my own. I love you and trust you.
Jeff
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