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Enduring the Journey

James 1:4 

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” 

Recently I had someone tell me that I take too many shortcuts. Because of pride, it’s always uncomfortable for me to accept criticism, especially related to something I wasn’t even aware of. This comment put me in a state of reflection: it made me realise that throughout this year, I’ve been trying to take too many shortcuts. Cutting corners, looking for the easier way out, they’re all mental movements to escape the journey that God was putting me through. In a culture of instant dopamine, we’ve adopted the mindset that everything should be granted to us immediately, however I think God calls us to wait a little longer, because in our wait He may be trying to teach us something much more valuable. 

Closely reading the verse, we see that “perseverance” is a work. Like with anything work related, there is a start point and end point. Though perseverance is an on-going process, and may feel like it’s never going to end, it will. We don’t serve a hopeless God, but rather a God that facilitates things to look forward to.  

The verse says that through the “work” of “perseverance” we “may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. What does this mean? How can we be mature through persevering? I think through perseverance we build a resilience and trust towards God, that couldn’t be substituted if we had got what we prayed for instantly. Sometimes the very thing that we desire might be the very deterrent of our character. Our desires aren’t inherently bad, but if we got them as soon as we asked, would we have the same gratitude to God? How much more authentic would our faith be if we waited so long that we know it could’ve only been God?  

Another reason why we may have to endure is that our character may not match the desire that we want, and sometimes God may want to prepare us for the very same thing we have prayed for. Whether you are waiting for a job or a house, or patiently trusting for a spouse, God is calling you to endure.  

One thing I am starting to realise is that as much as God is Lord, He is still a father. He pays attention to his children’s wants, and as long as they align with his will, He will grant them. However, the timeframe at which he grants them isn’t promised, and it’s our job to trust in His timing. 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. David KobiaJuly 6, 2025 at 2:00 AM

    Very true. As Christians, we miss God given opportunities of spiritual maturation and growth due to not trusting God’s timing. You touched light on this very well🙏

    ReplyDelete

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