Standing Fast!

Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. JAMES 1:12 AMP

There are so many conditions attached to God's blessings that time and space will not permit all to be mentioned here; however, today's extract gives another dimension to how God works and how he grows his character in those who follow him. Is it not interesting that God's greatest promises are tied to trials and tribulations?

Let it be settled today: you will not grow much without trials. That's God's way of proving the quality of your inner convictions. If what you hold on to is worth it, the experiences he will bring your way will prove it. How does God entrust me with eternal assignments if I am only focused on the earthly and the temporal? How does God trust me with the lives of men when I have not even entrusted him with mine?

The times of trials WILL come. It is not a matter of IF but WHEN. Please also note that the rewards are tied to standing to the end, not just the experience. We love the victim mentality, where we talk a lot only about the issues we face, and not so much about the grace that God has made available. We seek men's pity, forgetting that the help of man is but vanity. We seek to whip up emotions, forgetting that God sees the heart and weighs the motives, and nothing is hidden from him. Don't seek the approval or pity of men; go after God and his purpose for you. His PROVISION is truly PRO VISION and he will only provide resources for the vision he alone has birthed in you, not the one you think is best for you.

There is an end to all of these. Nothing down here, no matter how beautiful or depressing, was made to last forever. There is an expiry date on all of life's present experiences, except the eternal consequences of my actions now. A crown of life is at stake, and it is for all who have Life in them. Life has been defined and personified in the person of Christ himself, and is the reward of all who love God. You cannot love God without surrendering to him, and you cannot love him without giving him total control of your life.

Don't labour for the physical, as they cannot sustain you in the day of trouble. God wants to build character in me, not my bank account. He wants to plant eternity in me and make me an instrument of his purpose. Would I let him? Would I surrender to him? His time of favour is here.