Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. – Harriet Beecher Stowe

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Its pretty difficult to be steadfast or stand still…grounded in the midst of trials.  Most of us want to run from them!  How often to we find ourselves in yet another situation and immediately we go into prayer begging God to let this cup pass from us!  We say…God get me out of this and quickly!!!  Realize that in doing so we are praying against Gods will?  No, I’m not saying God brings bad things on us…as scripture tells us in James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

So, what am I saying?  God doesn’t bring the trial, but He will use them as part of our transformation process as part of His training and instruction in righteousness and holiness.  It is in the fire where we are made!

When we find ourselves in the midst of trials our first prayer should be.  God show me what this is and how to endure through it.  Then you thank God in advance for the victorious coming out and His grace and mercy extended to you while going through the trial.

What is perseverance?  Perseverance is not giving up. It is persistence and tenacity, the effort required to do something and keep doing it till the end, even if it’s hard.

Perseverance originally comes from the Latin perseverantia and means to abide by something strictly. This makes sense, because if you’re doing something in spite of all the difficulty, you’re being strict on yourself. 

Wow!  Did you catch it???  Doing something in spite of all the difficulty!  People will go great lengths to accomplish financial freedom….to earn that six-figure income.  They will pay a huge amount of money to universities for multiple master’s or Doctorate degrees to place them in a higher market of white-collar professionals and will then work long hours to hopefully one day get noticed and make it to the “top”. 

You don’t make it here overnight.  It takes years of education and hard work, and we accept this as fact.  Now here comes the big BUT….why when it comes to receiving the blessings of God, He gives us commandments to follow and says I will bless you in your obedience and we fuss and cry and rebel??? 

If God tells us, I will make you prosperous in business and will bless your finances abundantly so that you may be a financier to the Kingdom of God.  I first need to educate you on Kingdom business…I need to give you Godly wisdom…I need to get the worldly corruptible junk out of you that could cause you to fall and lose it all!  I need you to have my mindset…I need you to love God with all your mind…all your heart…all your soul. Crucify the things of this world…seek Me daily…worship Me….obey my instructions. 

And mind you…these aren’t difficult tasks.  I find it easier to spend time in God’s word, be still and meditate on it and allow the Holy Spirit to impart Godly wisdom into me…this is easier than my 4 years of college where I majored in Telecommunications…having to learn Ohms law and all these variables in electronics…studying data anomalies…qualitative algebra….and so on. 

All of this was a sacrifice…a commitment…work…it took obedience to the school’s by-laws to follow their guidelines…take the recommended courses to receive a degree.  But I was willing to commit 4 years of my life to this university with the expectation that I would obtain a good paying career.  In the end, I serve in ministry which is more rewarding than any secular job could ever pay.

Why do we then complain in such a matter to God?  We just want Him to bless us….we don’t want to have to live up to any mandate…we don’t want to have to commit to anything…we don’t want to sacrifice anything.  REALLY????  Why do we find it so easy to adhere to the worlds standards but when it comes to the things of God we reject them?  Then we complain about our lives…we complain about our finances…we complain about our unhappiness….BUT guess what????  Its all by your choices!!!

Am I saying the life of a Christian is smooth sailing?  Absolutely not!  But I know that because of my obedience and dedication to the call on my life that every trial…every test…is for Gods Glory!  I have a blessed assurance that God is with me and will bring me through without spot, wrinkly or blemish.  I welcome the storms!  Yes, they are hard, but fire is designed to consume and kill off impurities.  It is my desire to see Gods reflection in the mirror.  I desire at all costs to receive the good report of “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord!”

Romans 5:3-5 tells us, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

2 Timothy 2:12 says, “If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;”

Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Are you seeking the approval and promises of the world or are you seeking relationship with God?

Meditation verse – Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Blessings!!

Keishana

Don’t forget to purchase my new book, Daughter, Why Do You Worry? on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. See order details here on my website.