James 1 :12-18 In verses 2 through 4 James tells us that we should rejoice when we undergo many kinds of trials because it will cause our faith and endurance to grow and mature. This is how our spiritual and emotional muscles are built up. Verse 12 goes a step further and says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." The object is to move through the trial, whatever the kind, trusting in God, carrying oneself as a child of God, without being defeated by the trial. The idea is not to merely passively endure the trouble but to aggressively move through it in victory. When a fireman goes into a burning building to rescue someone, he is not going in merely to prove that he can endure the heat. No, there is a definite goal in mind, that of bringing another human being to safety. A marathon runner experiences great pain in the process of reaching the finish line, but to him the finish line is of far greater importance. The pain, although an expected but far from pleasant factor, is only secondary to reaching the goal. God is not the author of our troubles, but they can't touch us without His permission. For the most part the trials in our lives are part of the everyday circumstances of our lives. Satan certainly orchestrates or enhances the difficult things that happen to us. Some of our biggest problems, we bring on ourselves because of sin or bad judgement. Our verse tells us that the one who perseveres is blessed which means he is happy, to be congratulated, he experiences God's favor. Which is more important to us, to experience God's favor by our righteous endurance or to cling to our comfort and succumb to the trials before us? We are told that there is a crown of life for those who persevere and have stood the test. Short of the eternal crown of life is the feeling of victory that you've passed through with your head high and God is pleased.

Blessed is the Man Who Perseveres