“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:7-8 ESV It’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses. For example, I do not know how to build a house. The best I can do is possibly, more than likely not, hang a picture on the wall. My husband would testify to this and show multiple holes in the…
“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ” James 3:13-14 ESV What are we seeking after? What does your heart desire? Is it status and position? Is it accolades and praise of men? Do we desire power and authority? C.S. Lewis writes, “Something deep in the human heart breaks at the thought of a life of mediocrity.” While there is nothing wrong with despairing at the thought of living a mediocre life, there is something to be said about chasing after something God has not ordained. We should not remain stagnant, complacent, and content with a life that is not surrendered and obedient to all God has for us. However, if you are kicking and screaming your way through a door, it is not your door to enter. What plans does God have for your life? Where is He leading you, and who is He leading you to? I’ve realized over the years that my life does not look how I thought it would. I’ve struggled to…
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV I’ll be honest: something was stirred up when I read the word “steadfastness” in the above scripture. It was not righteous indignation, nor was it steadfastness itself. My flesh revolted against God asking me to be joyful in trials. In case you haven’t picked up on it, finding joy in life’s lowest moments is not something that I excel in. To better understand what James 1:3 means, I decided to dig a bit further. James 1:3 in the KJV reads, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” The word “patience” translated in Greek is “hypomonē.” Hypomonē means “steadfastness, constancy, endurance, a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance.” There have been moments in my walk with God that I felt my endurance wane. I’ve wanted nothing more than to throw in the proverbial towel and walk away. But something inside of me held on and refused to quit. Could this be the constancy that James was speaking of? Have you experienced this…
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 ESV I’ve always had big feelings and emotions. I have also been blessed with a very active imagination to accompany my feelings and emotions. You can only begin to imagine the wild stories I have conjured up in my mind over the years. I also grew up in a generation that loves inspirational quotes, one being “Follow your heart.” As a young woman, I was fed this lie repeatedly in the form of literature, media, music, and pop culture.…
“And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” 2 Kings 4:7 The woman in the above story was a widow who fell into financial trouble after her husband’s passing. When Elisha passes by she calls out to him that her husband is dead, and that he was a good man but he was in debt. Furthermore, the men he was in debt to were currently on their way to collect by taking her children as slaves. I can only imagine the fear and panic she felt knowing she had nothing to offer them, and the possibility she would never see her children again. Elisha gives her clear instructions. The woman has a little oil in her house so he tells her to borrow jugs and bowls from her neighbors, and not only a few, but as many as she can get. When she…
“No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.” Isaiah 40:15 My family loves going to the beach, it’s one of our favorite summer activities. We don’t go to swim necessarily, we enjoy just sitting in the sand. My oldest daughter loves to build sandcastles and dig trenches, while my youngest collects seashells and eats snacks. Even now, in the dead of a Canadian winter, I can almost feel the warmth of the sand. I feel it between my fingers as I let it fall back to the earth. I can see how tiny one grain is, and imagine God similarly holding the earth. How big and great our God is, that He can hold the world as though it were a grain of sand. This shouldn’t make us feel small and insignificant, but rather cherished and protected by a mighty and strong God. We should never feel that our problems are too small for God to care about. Yes, he’s a big God – but he loves us and cares…