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

James 1:4

How do you keep your balance when everything is working against you? How do you maintain your vertical view when failure has become your food? When age is shooting up like a rocket, and family expectations are crushing you, how does the child of God survive? With the world offering so much glitter and shine, the flesh desiring attention and satisfaction, and the enemy ferociously pushing his agenda as the end time approaches, how does the child of God keep his faith resilient?

Over the years, devout saints have struggled with their faith through challenging times and situations. It is the same in our time. Many of God’s children today are facing daily realities that challenge their faith. Talk about the tidal increase in knowledge, scientific breakthroughs, humanism and secular thought, technological advancement, fashion explosion, varying forms of artistic expression, and entertainment. They have pushed faith to critical levels. Then there is abject poverty ravaging millions of homes while wealth and power are being abused by countless others. 

However, those who have stood upon the immutable word of God have declared victory in their sufferings. They can rejoice in the full assurance of the hope of glory. For, when the trusting Christian anchors their faith in the pure word of God, He sustains them through every storm.

Take a walk through the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11, and it will confront you with human weaknesses and failures that God has divinely transformed into strengths and victories. They unashamedly embraced God and His eternal purposes and plans for their lives and gained renewed hope. Men of faith like Abel, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets, and many unnamed women will encourage you by their obedience through harsh circumstances. They all caught the vision of heaven and stood upon the faithful promises of God to conquer their worst fears.

Those faithfuls declared victory over their struggles for the glory of God. They overcame because they persevered in their trials. By their examples, they challenge us to stand firm for Jesus Christ—our Redeemer and King, and overcome for His glory (Hebrews 12:1-13).

The Holy Spirit has given us authority over the flesh and to walk away from every ungodliness and worldly passion. By Him, we can live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-13) until Christ returns. John writes that the only victory that overcomes the world is our faith in Jesus Christ (1Jn 5:4).

That is why taking a stand for Jesus is not fashionable during our time and will not win us any applause from family, friends, and society. However, we have no choice if we are genuinely His. There is a higher call from God, larger goals to attain in our faith-walk, and a Savior to glorify. We cannot fail Him. We have no excuses for failure and cannot blame anyone if we do not persevere.

Instead, we should rejoice when adversity challenges our faith. For, trials develop perseverance in us. When we allow it to finish its work, it matures and makes us complete with no lack (James 1:2-4). Such trials sustained the Josephs and Daniels of old, and they will be a source of strength to those of us who desire to glorify God with our lives (Rom. 12:1, 2).