I woke up this morning in prayer and I heard this so clearly in my spirit, let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire lacking nothing. This passage comes from James 1:4.

In order to get the context we go to the verses before. This was a word I was given one day in a gym working out and ……..

and was the last thing on my mind. I think it is funny how God has ministered to me and used me to minister in gyms of all places,

Of course we can’t put God in a box and he can surely show up anytime and anywhere, sometimes in the places we least expect!  So the first words out of this women’s mouth(someone I had never met before) was James 1:2&3 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing this, that the trying of your faith works out patience.

Now, I don’t know about you, but the counting all joy part when I am in trials is a hard one for me. The NASB translation actually says the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

There is one thing I do know, when serving God we do need endurance to run our race. Every one has a different race, but we are all in need of patience. Look at it this way. God has a lot of work to do in each one of us, while awaiting Christs return ,and or our time to leave this earth.

We pray to be more like Jesus, but we fail to contemplate what that transformation will actually look like. I know when God began a work in me, I could not have been more opposite of Christ like. In fact, I was living for selfish ambition and self seeking. The word tells us in James 3:16 That where envy, selfishness exists, there is confusion and every evil thing.

Since we all are sinful by nature, and have to choose to walk in the spirit, so we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. It is amazing how patient God is with us! Instead of looking at letting patience having its perfect work as a negative or the trials that it takes to develop that patience in us, change your perspective.

Ask the Lord to help you have a right perspective in your trials. Trials are for our good, and produce the answers to our prayers! Having a right attitude, and a right perspective is a crucial part of getting through the trials faster.

 You do not fail tests with God, you just keep taking them until you pass. What an awesome God we serve, where others would give up on us, thinking they will never change, not God! God’s mercies are new every day! Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ‘In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’

God is good and he is working all things together for your good if you love God and are called according to His purpose Romans 8:28. So thank Him for the fruit of patience that he is developing in you and do not be discouraged in the midst of trials, focus on the outcome, that is for your good!

Exercise daily, walk with the Lord!

~ Jenay Green