A Reason to Keep Going

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,... (James 1:2)

​We don’t have to live long before we begin to realize that life is a constant uphill climb.  We talk about mountain tops and valleys but for many, life in the valley is the norm and mountain top experiences are the exception, and becoming a Christian does not always change that.  Quite often becoming a follower of Christ can increase the number of valleys we go through and the length of time we spend there.  To be fair, there are times when these valleys are man-made, when we create the hole we are in.  Nevertheless, the struggle is real; the hole is deep, and the future looks bleak.  These are the times when holding to a high view of scripture matters.  Because if scripture is not the authoritative and trustworthy word of God, then there is no place to go, no place to turn.  But if it is--and it is—then we can go to places like James 1:2-4 and find great comfort and encouragement for living life in the here and now.  There we are told to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”  The Greek word for 'steadfastness' is an interesting word as it is the word hupomoné and carries the meaning of strength, perseverance or endurance.  Thus, like the long-distance runner, the more we run, the farther we run, the stronger we become and the farther we are able to keep going.  But getting in shape to be a long-distance runner takes time and suffering and pain.  Ultimately this is what God is doing in us.  He is strengthening our faith and trust in him so that we can go further and endure more.  And thus, we are told to “let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  By “let steadfastness have its full effect,” James means that we should not resist or murmur against what God is doing in us and through us and for us, so that we might be “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”