“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
James
wrote to the scattered people of God and encouraged them not to lose heart in
the midst of their difficulties and struggles. Their trials were
many and varied. James regarded these as testing of their faith and
he counseled them to be steadfast, to be fixed in their direction, to be steady
in their forward movement. James was convinced that steadfastness in the face
of difficulties would produce perfection and prosperity. Yes! Life is full of
twists and turns but we must not get into a knot. We must ride on steadily
negotiating the twists and turns.
This
was reinforced in me recently. I was travelling from Kingston to Fairy Hill via
Morant Bay. On approaching Hector’s River the road sign said
80 kph. Finally! I thought with delight. The promise of a good
driving surface has been announced. I began to get my mind and foot
in motion. Suddenly I was forced to reduce my speed to a virtual crawl. To my
horror I had descended into craters and had to slowly rock my way through seven
or nine wide and deep craters. I turned to my companion and said, “Is this the
80 kph road? There must be better.” There was better. In a short
while we were sailing along on a smooth surface and I had difficulty remaining
within the speed limit.
As
I drove I thought: “this is just like life.” In the same way that the sign had
suggested a better road surface that did not initially materialise, experiences
can give rise to hopes and dreams that are temporarily dashed. This
is applicable to a high school student who works thrice as hard to obtain the
requisite qualifications to enter university only to face, at the start,
inadequate financial support; or the newlywed whose honeymoon was beset by the
inability to successfully navigate transitional issues but eventually had a
marriage that became a wonderful experience; or the expectant parents who
learned that their first baby had physical challenges but the child grew to
become the joy and delight of parents and others.
Yes!
I was reminded that we must never give up at the first appearance of challenges
and difficulties. In order to get the best out of life we must be prepared to
“go slow” and carefully navigate the obstacles and pitfalls that are always
lurking in our path. The difficulties will not last forever. Life is full of
twists and turns and sometimes we fall upon hard times. No matter what the
circumstance we can rest in the fact that God is always faithful and
adversity will not last forever. God will hold us and help us through the hard
times.
Are
you struggling to navigate and cope with the difficult and seemingly unyielding
challenges of life today? Are you disappointed that life has not delivered what
you anticipated or has not come through according to your projections? Or do
you know someone who is disheartened? That piece of road suggests that you go
slow and steady. Hear the still small voice as you rock and roll in and out of
life’s potholes. By the grace of God and in God’s time it will get better.
Thought: Your
Best is yet to come!
Prayer
Focus: Pray
for those who are about to give up.
Amen!!
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