God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
—James 1:12
Scripture:
Several years ago, I was talking with a young woman in a wheelchair and her friend after church. The young woman had a severe disability. As we talked, I asked her, “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing fine,” she told me.
Then her friend explained that the woman had just undergone two brain surgeries to remove cancer and that the operations had been successful.
I looked at this young woman who had just come through such a difficult time and thought, “And where is she now? She’s at church.”
I thought of all the excuses people come up with as to why they can’t make it to church. They have a cold, or it takes too long to get into the parking lot, and so forth. Yet here was this young woman who, despite her life-threatening diagnosis and recent surgeries, was at church, praising God and saying that she was doing fine. I was touched by her example.
I said to her, “You know, the Bible promises a special blessing and crown to those who have suffered in this life. I admire your faith. You’re an inspiration to me.”
In that young woman’s story, we find today’s amazing truth. James 1:12 explains it perfectly: “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (NLT).
The first reaction for many people when trials, tribulations, or setbacks occur is to ask, “Why me? Why did God give this burden to me? Why can’t I be as happy or as healthy or as financially secure as other people? Why couldn’t I come from a nurturing, functional family? Why do I have this dark cloud over my head? Why does life have to be so difficult for me?”
These are all understandable questions, but they reveal a shortsighted view of life. Our time on this earth is a mere instant, a blink of the eye, in the big picture of eternity. Certainly, the things that happen in this life have profound implications for eternity. But the things we endure are temporary.
The reality is that God uses trials, tribulations, setbacks, and challenges in people’s lives to accomplish His will. How He does it isn’t always apparent to us. When the apostle Paul asked God to remove an affliction from him, the Lord replied, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).
That’s why our best response is to patiently endure what God allows in this life. Because our heavenly Father is gracious and generous beyond our imagining, our patient endurance through these temporary challenges and struggles will be rewarded for eternity.
Reflection question: What would patient endurance look like in your life?Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!
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