God's Glory Church

“Blessed is the man who endures the test.” — James 1:12

Twelve-year-old Lee Adianez decided to take part in a five-kilometer race. Afraid of being late, she lost track of time and started fifteen minutes early with a group running a half-marathon (over twenty kilometers). Lee Adianez kept up with the other runners and even ran ahead. Already at the sixth kilometer, when she saw that there was no finish line anywhere, she realized that she was in a longer and more difficult race. However, instead of getting off the course, she continued to run on. The random “half-marathoner” finished her race in 1,885th place out of 2,111 runners who made it to the finish line. This is persistence!

During the persecution in the first century, many Christians wanted to run away from the faith, but James encouraged them to keep running. If they patiently endured trials, God promised them a double reward (James 1:4, 12). First, “patience… has a perfect rank, so that you may be perfect and blameless, and have no faults in anything” (v. 4). Secondly, God will give them the “crown of life” – life in Christ on earth and then eternal life in His presence (v. 12).

Sometimes it seems that the Christian race is not what we agreed on, because it is longer and more difficult than we expected. However, because God gives us what we need, we are perfectly capable of persevering and continuing to run.

What difficulties are you currently experiencing? How do you stay faithful to God during trials?

Dear God, my legs are tired and I want to give up. Please strengthen me.

Author: Marvin Williams