Generally
I think of perseverance as hanging in there, and riding the storm out.
But James 1:2-4 says 'let perseverance finish its work in you'. That makes me ask the question, how can perseverance NOT finish its work in you? Do you die before the hard times end? I don't think that's what James was getting at. There is more to perseverance than just hanging in there.
James 1: 2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James says a few things that really stand out in this amazing passage.
1) Verse 2 "Whenever you FACE trials..." To face something is to look it dead in the eye. To not shy away, but to purposefully turn to look at its size, its weight, and its form. To look at the reality of the situation.
If you are in tough circumstances, and saying something like, "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." Or, "I will make it. I am an overcomer." Or, "I hate my lifeeeeeeee!" You may not be facing your trial. You may be ignoring it, minimizing it, or being overcome by it. I think I have said all three of these phrases over the last five months, lol. And all along, God was telling me to read James 1, but I wouldn't do it. I'm like, "Oh, I know what is says. I am being matured. Ok, I will hang in there and not grumble." Then I would find myself grumbling or whining the next day, and wonder why I am not being mature yet?! When will I ever get it?
The trial I am facing is many fold: I am not able to rely on my own strength in relationships (perfectionism out the door); I am not able to change the circumstances of being a teacher in my image driven district (control out the door); I can't sit back on the couch after work, because we have bible studies & weekly worship practices, in addition to mounds of paperwork to grade for school (laziness out the door). Talk about painful. I could handle one of those on my own, probably two... all that pride I have stored up over the years... so three is my magic number. What's yours?
Well, the pain of this all led me to ignore my trials, and when they still didn't go away, I minimized them, and when they got bigger, I gave up and was overcome by them (pity party). I have felt like more of a failure these past 5 months than I have ever felt in my life. That statement is a good one. Failure forced me to let go & understand this passage of scripture.
2) Verse 3, "You KNOW that the testing of your faith produces perseverance". First of all, do you know that your faith is being tested? To know is defined as to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information. Of course this follows the verse of facing your trials, because once you have really faced a trial, you see yourself. You see how you are in a place of 'testing' as the verse says. James assumes that at least we would know this much, but ... uh... do we? Personally I get so busy that I don't even face my trials, I just keep moving forward, humming "just keep swimming, just keep swimming." In that case, I do not know that my faith is being tested. I am too busy ignoring, minimizing, or being overcome. We must face our trials, to know ourselves, to know that our faith is being tested. This is when perseverance is produced. (*Perseverance is not automatically produced by going through trials. That is why we all have repeated a trial more than once, right? We never faced it, and in doing so, never faced ourselves and how our faith is being tested. So... the trial came back around! Stop the cycle. Face the trial with joy, face yourself, KNOWING that it produces perseverance. Why would you want to gain perseverance? Keep reading -->)
3) Verse 4, "LET perseverance finish its work..." But it doesn't stop with perseverance. Once you are truly persevering, then LET it finish its work. Don't give it a timeline, or try to figure out how to fix the trial or yourself. Perseverance is defined as continuing in a course of action in the face of difficulty, or with little or no indication of success. This process of continuing with no end in sight, THIS is where the spirit produces fruit in us. I pray that I come to understand this better, and that you do too.
4) Verse 2 & Verse 4 together. "Consider it pure joy" & "you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The bookends of the verses. Joy? Where does a feeling of great pleasure and satisfaction fit into this topic? At some point during perseverance, we come to terms with the fact that we screw things up when we're in control. That may be very depressing (it has been for me), but after facing ourselves, we see a great, mighty, glorious Father who seeks to show himself through this. He sees our immaturity, and is asking us to choose to persevere, to let perseverance do its work, so that he can manifest HIS image of glory in us. As Christians don't we always try to manifest the image we have of him by ourselves? Go to church every week, don't curse, be a good mother/father, give to others... What a joke that I thought for one minute I could manifest his image without him. My ugly side leaked through in time, and there is only one God, so I'm guessing your ugly side will leak through too if you are as foolish as me, trying to do things in my strength.
The fact that by persevering in our trials, GOD, the one and only, is producing his image in us. THIS IS PURE JOY. By submitting to the process of perseverance, you are submitting to God, who can do all things through his glorious riches in Christ... all things. Even make you loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, faithful, good, and self-controlled. Christians always hear, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" And, "My God will supply all my needs!" Well yes, these are so true, but take them in context. It has much more to do with who God is and what he does, and a lot less to do with you doing things yourself. Eye opening for me! Philippians 4:10-20
I often think that if I would only submit quicker, the trial would end faster. Where do I get that idea? Probably from my flesh that wants all painful things to come to an end asap. Anyway, God's word says LET perseverance finish its work. As in, release control, quit trying to fix it, and let me work in you SO that my will can be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I hope you are blessed by this. I wish I gained this wisdom sooner so as to not have grumbled & commiserated with others so often. I so badly want people to know my God, and I don't want to hinder that in any way. Ah, well, I trust Him to cover my sins, and I choose to LET perseverance finish its work in me, that the glory of God be manifested to many, that disciples of Christ would be the fruit. This brings peace and patience and great, satisfying, perfect joy.
Instead of just saying, hang in there. I think I will have to start saying, face it. Take great joy in your trials that the glory of God would be manifested in you as you are matured. That His name would be known in all families, cities, & nations.
