Persevere

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  James 1:2-4


  My husband is one of those people who can get things done.  When he has a task at hand he is able to dig down deep and work hard to the end.  Me? Not so much.  I am more of a "get it started and finish it some time in the future" kind of gal.  I'm really good at taking on plenty of things but my interest wanes quickly.  I'm sure if you'd ask my husband he could tell you stories about the many projects or tasks I've started but never finished.  Or the times I've asked him to finish it for me!  What I lack is perseverance.  Don't get me wrong-I'm not saying that I never finish anything because I do.  It's just hard for me.  I try not to think about this little flaw of mine.  Let me let you in on a little secret though-God knows.  He whispers to my heart that perseverance is important to think about. 


  Do I think God is worried that I can't seem to get all the boxes in my house unpacked from a move that was two months ago?  Do I think God cares that the dishes sit in the sink while I read a book?  Does He bring this problem to my attention because I never finished a craft project that I was so excited to try?  Probably not.  But here is the problem--this lack of perseverance starts to bleed over into my relationship with Him.  I begin a bible study with delight but my attendance begins to wane.  My quiet time with Him goes almost non-existent for several months.  Troubles begin to rack up and my "get-out-of-the-boat-and-walk-faith" starts sinking faster than it started.  My intent not to worry about getting a job and paying the bills starts to fade as I get closer to my last paycheck from my previous job.  My good Christian parent modeling goes out the window along with the expletive I let loose on the driver who just cut me off.  I begin to question the truth of God's love for humanity when I see horrible things happening in the world all around me.  


  I begin to wonder what the true lack of perseverance could mean for me in my faith life.  Will it trip me up and cause me to doubt the reality of my Savior?  Will I stop believing that his death on the cross and resurrection were true?  When push comes to shove will I deny knowing him as Peter did?  Thanks be to God that he knows my every thought and fault.  Thanks be to God that he gives gentle reminders and sometimes not-so-gentle reminders that I should seek wisdom in this issue.  For, without him, I might just start the race he's set for me but never finish it.  My prayer for today is that you might see the importance of this perseverance, too.  Ask God to give you the wisdom to persevere in the race he has marked out for each and every one of us.


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the authorand perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:1-3
    


  

Something Beautiful

  Yesterday was my 47th birthday.  Most women cringe to announce their age as they get older.  Some of them even go as far as claiming to be 29 again!  Not true for me.  I have learned over the years to appreciate each and every birthday and to be so thankful to God for allowing me to celebrate once again.  Being thankful does not seem to come naturally for most of us, though.  We would rather groan and complain and fuss about what has gone wrong.  Or we'd rather lament about all those things that we don't have but wish we did.  Then there are some who fill their days with negative thoughts or feelings and seem to enjoy it.  I would love to say that I am one of those positive people who constantly see the good in everything and thank God for his part in it.  But, alas, I am not one of those people.  Every day I struggle falling into the trap of negativity and to be honest it is not me but God's power that brings me up out of the muck of life.

  Near our new home there is a wetland area that we drive by to get to a major shopping area of town.  Now that the Kansas heat and humidity of the summer have risen to really uncomfortable levels the largest water area of the wetlands has turned green with algae. One day I was driving past with the air conditioner blasting on high to cool down after just walking from house to car.  I was hot, grouchy and in a complaining mood when I looked at this area and thought YUCK!- that looks absolutely disgusting!  I wondered why on earth the city would keep this area protected when it was such an eyesore.  Then I saw it.  Standing in this muck on stilt legs was a bird of the most beautiful blue color I had ever seen.  I was amazed.  Then I was thankful for that bird.

  For you see, friends, that bird made me think.  Our lives on this Earth are filled with muck.  The muck of loneliness and despair.  Of hatred and murder.  Of jealousy and rage.  Of disease and war.  Of self absorption and loathing.  Of coveting and theft.  Of cynicism and unbelief.  Of fuss and complaint.  Of Sin.  We struggle in this muck of what looks disgusting and it threatens to bring us down.  But there is One who looks beyond the mess of life and has made us the beautiful blue bird.  What he did for us makes us clean and beautiful.  His death on the cross made us new.  He takes us up out of the quagmire and offers us new life.  


 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come." 
2 Corinthians 5:17


So, my friends, be thankful each day!  Celebrate each birthday with joy!  For God works every day to make you something beautiful.


Suggestions:
Feeling less than beautiful in this bog of life?  Listen to "Beautiful Things" by Gungor to be reminded that you are!