“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 within yourselves?
We have hope today, ladies. We can rest assured knowing that our efforts in the trial are not wasted, but rather they are producing a constancy and endurance in our spirits that cannot be derailed.
We have a race to run. Running long distances requires intense endurance, diligence, preparation, and commitment. Do not lose hope, take courage! God is creating something inside of you that no enemy can diminish.
I pray that you find peace in the following scriptures. Continue to run precious woman of God. Don’t look back, press on.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
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