"But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." (Heb 10:38 NIV)
Perseverance is the result of moving forward purposefully through a trial in the exercise of faith. James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (NIV)." God doesn't just expect us to survive a difficult circumstance. He wants us to exercise our faith by it and He gives us a promised destination in the very next verse. "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." It's because we have a purpose for enduring that we can do it with an attitude of joy.
Have you noticed that the best fitness equipment today provides a visual indicator of what's to come; how steep the hill is that you're about to climb, for instance? It's on constant display in front of you because the designers of that equipment know how important knowledge about the road that lies ahead is to successfully completing the workout. As Christians we know the ultimate outcome of what is important to our Designer as well - our character and His glory. We certainly don't know many other specifics and that's where faith comes in. Without faith, we are like a bobber, merely surviving the circumstances we find ourselves in, constantly tossed up and down emotionally and sometimes pulled under by forces we cannot fully comprehend. In contrast, a man persevering in faith is like a barge cutting through a storm to achieve its mission to reach its destination and deliver its cargo.
Being a barge is not the same as muscling it, clenching our teeth and toughing out the storm. It's not an excuse to go it alone. Biblical perseverance is not Navy Seal training. No, instead it's a purposeful acknowledgment and acquiescence that God is steering the vessel of your soul for His satisfaction and your good.
The next time you face a trial, remember that something more than survival is at stake. God desires that we grow in our trust of Him, knowing that He can make any bad situation we find ourselves in bring glory to Him. When we delight first in His glory and move into our storms in faith, He rewards us with joy we could not otherwise experience merely bobbing up and down on the seas of life.
Have you noticed that the best fitness equipment today provides a visual indicator of what's to come; how steep the hill is that you're about to climb, for instance? It's on constant display in front of you because the designers of that equipment know how important knowledge about the road that lies ahead is to successfully completing the workout. As Christians we know the ultimate outcome of what is important to our Designer as well - our character and His glory. We certainly don't know many other specifics and that's where faith comes in. Without faith, we are like a bobber, merely surviving the circumstances we find ourselves in, constantly tossed up and down emotionally and sometimes pulled under by forces we cannot fully comprehend. In contrast, a man persevering in faith is like a barge cutting through a storm to achieve its mission to reach its destination and deliver its cargo.
Being a barge is not the same as muscling it, clenching our teeth and toughing out the storm. It's not an excuse to go it alone. Biblical perseverance is not Navy Seal training. No, instead it's a purposeful acknowledgment and acquiescence that God is steering the vessel of your soul for His satisfaction and your good.
The next time you face a trial, remember that something more than survival is at stake. God desires that we grow in our trust of Him, knowing that He can make any bad situation we find ourselves in bring glory to Him. When we delight first in His glory and move into our storms in faith, He rewards us with joy we could not otherwise experience merely bobbing up and down on the seas of life.
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