i've read this book before. heard these chapters, these verses, spoken more times than i can remember.
but the beautiful thing about God's word is that it is living and breathing (2 Timothy 3:16-17). what does that mean? it means i can read a chapter in the bible.. get an interpretation out of it. return a year later, read that same chapter and get something completely different from it! God's word lives and breathes in that it roots itself in us and helps us grow and grow and grow :) it's pretty crazy how God's word NEVER changes, but it can still apply to anything and everything going on in our life somehow. God always knows exactly what we need when we need it and that just makes Him even more beautiful to me :)
BUT ANYWAY!
last night, i had finished hosea and i didn't know exactly what God wanted me to read next. so i prayed, and i sat in bed, and i waited.
James.
??!?!?!?!? james? i've already read that.. it's that book about trials temptations and holding your tongue or something like that.. james? meh.
James.
okay. james, it is.
James 1:2-5; 19-26
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. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
i put that bible down and i said "wow." this chapter spoke volumes for me.
perseverance. pushing on. pushing on. following through and completing what i start. i've always had trouble with this concept. so many times i've started a project or put an idea into motion.. only to quit and run once the first few bumps in the road leave me bruised and slowing down. but i can't do that. i gotta follow through. and these trials? these trials i feel.. i don't want to be seen as a blind optimistic. but i am so insanely adamant that everything will work itself out in the end. and while i do get extremely discouraged about whether or not things will work out the way they should.. like i always say, and i hope it's not annoying! -- God has a plan. so these "trials" i feel.. about the people in my life. in my heart. i just gotta keep on keepin on. do what God called me to do. keep loving them. persistance. perseverance.
persistence.
patience.
meditation.
application.
discipline.
God is so good, amen? :)
