Today's Journey
Dec.29,2012
http://getmorestrength.org
“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4
In
Cornwall, England, you can visit a place called The Eden Project. The
Eden Project attempted to build the perfect environment in which plants
and trees could flourish. Obviously named for the Garden of Eden, this
collection of “biomes,” huge domes, provides a tightly monitored
atmosphere with a perfect temperature range and humidity. There are no
insects and there is no pollution. What more could a tree want?
But there was a problem.
After
this wonder of science was built, the scientists on the project noticed
something strange.
The leaves on the big trees were beginning to wilt
and the branches were starting to droop. Puzzled, they consulted a tree
expert. After studying the situation, he reported, “Your problem is that
there is no wind in the environment. It’s the wind that pushes and
moves the tree fibers forcing the nutrients and moisture to be drawn up
from the ground. Trees need the stress of the wind or they won’t
thrive!”
How much is that like our lives? A lot!
Given a
choice, we would construct our own little “Eden Project” around our
homes, our families, our dreams, and our futures. In our bubble, we
would have just the right emotional climate—a controlled and restricted
atmosphere where we could click the delete button keeping out unwanted
news and pain. Trouble would be carefully filtered before it could reach
us, keeping us well protected from the “pollution” of suffering and
heartache. In our dream world, we would no doubt think that designing
this stress-free environment would provide a spiritual climate in which
we could thrive!
Right? Well, not really.
James points out that our lives need a little “wind” if we are going to grow and mature. In fact, we are called to choose
an attitude of joy in the face of life’s storms, trusting by faith that
God is going to use them to help us grow. James says that the trials
you and I face, whatever shape they take, test our faith. They are there
to reveal whether or not we really believe the things we say we believe
on Sunday mornings at church. Do we trust that God is good all the
time? Do we really believe that His faithfulness is great and that His
mercies are new every morning? Do we have the confidence that His
faithfulness never fails and that He never bails on us when the storm
clouds rise?
As your faith holds, strong perseverance—your ability
to “hang in there”—enables you to stay faithful and steady in the face
of the divine storm. And, as you patiently stay under the stress of the
“wind,” God will make you “complete, not lacking anything.”
It’s
the wind of life that stretches and presses the spiritual fibers of your
heart to bring nourishment and vitality to your soul.
And, just in case you missed it, look back at the beginning of today’s passage. Did you catch it? James says, “Whenever you face trials,” not “if
you face trials.” The storms of life are a given. And while these
storms can be heart-wrenching, terrifying, and truly, truly dark at
times, I am encouraged and reassured from Scripture to know that these
trials are not random. They are yet another way that God is helping us
grow, flourish, and mature. And if we understand that, then we can
choose, by faith in our Father, to welcome His perfecting storm.
YOUR JOURNEY…
- How have some of the storms of your life shaped and matured your faith in the past? What have you learned about God through them?
- What storms are you facing at the moment? What is God teaching you in the midst of the storm?
- Sometimes we need additional encouragement and perspective in the storm. Do you have Christian friends that can come alongside you during a season of trial and difficulty?
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