"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)
This passage in James reveals how God puts us through trials so that we may remain steadfast to him through the difficult moments in our lives, and this is a source of immense growth. God puts us through these trials knowing that we are able to overcome them with a reliance on him that arises from our desire to glorify him in everything.
There are times where I am anxious about what the future holds; however, I feel blessed that God chooses to place me in situations where I'm able to rely on his incredible faithfulness (1 Peter 5:7).
I don't know what future holds for me, but God continues to reveal, step by step, his plans for me to prosper as I try to humbly walk with him on my journey (Jeremiah 29:11).
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6 comments:
Jeremiah 29:11 is out of context sir Arulvarathan. Most Christians will have a misleading presumption if this verse was engraved in their hearts. God does however promise to comfort and shelter his flock. This is a verse most prosperity preachers use commonly.
After talking to Var:
Valid point because the message is to the exiles from Jerusalem to Babylon. However, on a larger scale it is a verse that applies to a modern audience as it one- reveals the nature of God. And although we are definitely susceptible to harm- we are warned of this over and over because in a world not of God, however we are still able to prosper with a utterance reliance on him, and that was what I was trying to convey, and I thought this verse exemplifies God's faithfulness.
I completely agree. But the way this verse is contextualized in this chapter, one has to consider the preceding and the following chapters in order to pull an application that best suits to the modern context. Essentially, this verse is a promise to the Israelites in exile, a promise of redemption. But some people can easily fall in the trap of seeing this verse out of its place, meaning, this life - here on earth - would be a life void of tribulations and hardships. That is my caution with this verse.
God is a good God who desires the best for His kids. Even if that means bringing us through difficulty and pain in order for us to appreciate the beauty in the broken. God works in mysterious ways, and sometimes experiences we go through are ones we would rather avoid. Ultimately though, keeping in mind that God is a good God, and that all things work for the good for those who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28), we can trust in our Father who leads us into good pasture. Our Father would not give us a stone if we asked him for bread (Matt 7:9). He is so intricately thoughtful of our every detail, and His love pervades every action He takes towards us.
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