The process of life is a difficult one sometimes and it’s sometimes overwhelming. We get to places where we feel like maybe we are failing and it’s not worth it. We then begin to realize we can grow and move to another level of understanding and success.
In our walk with God, we can feel this way as well. But there are a few things we need to remember as we learn how to understand and succeed in God. We need to remember that this life of faith is meant to last the entirety of our time here on earth. It is a long-distance run; not a sprint. God is patient with us in the process.
The book of James (1:2-4) says, “Consider it all joy… when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Faith is developed when it meets resistance. We are not joyful in the pain of the trial but in the knowledge that we have an opportunity to become better. When things are crafted, wood and metal are bent, cut, molded to form the end result. The trial – the process – is to help take out the imperfections.
Our ultimate goal in the process is perfection. Not perfection as in the perfect person as Jesus is. This is something that we can’t really attain in our imperfect selves. However, we can mature; we can be made complete. This is the perfection that God wants for us and something we can grasp.
The process is hard but will have great results if we stick to the plan. The poison of this process is “double-mindedness”. James (1:8) puts it this way, “…being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
If we are not committed to this process, if we have doubt or let in compromise, we will fail. Now this will happen at some point but know that the obedient heart is the one that will prevail. Obedience will not happen if we have not commitment, if we are double-minded. We won’t give all we have for this purpose.
This is not about being legalistic or religious; it’s about having the discipline to meet our challenge with all joy. We will grow the needed faith for the next step in the process, gaining endurance and strength.
Rene Solis is Director of Koinonia School of Ministry, a ministry of Koinonia Church in Hanford, CA. He can be reached at ksm@kcfchurch.org or by calling 559-582-1528.