Trials key to perseverance; perseverance key to success

James 1:3 - because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

The brother of Jesus gives another reason why we should welcome testing and trials in our lives. It produces perseverance. Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

This is a quality that is very much lacking in many Christians. We give up easily; we quit before its time. Look at all the resolutions we make at the beginning of the year. How many of us really see them through for the rest of our lives? We are all good in starting many things but when difficulties come our way, when no one wants to cooperate with us, or when the journey with the Lord becomes hard, there is always a tendency to give up.

James tells us that all these challenges come our way to develop our character, especially in the area of perseverance. And as Christians we need to persevere in all that we do, because if we don't it will result in failure, unfinished task and even not fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives.

True all theses trials and testing can be very discouraging and pushing us to appoint of giving up. Even Jesus felt it that way. Remember at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Mat 26:39). But Jesus persevered. He went on to finish the work for which He came.

Success comes through perseverance. I read this story about a man whose life was characterized by failure. At the age of 22 his business failed. At 23 he ran for legislature but was defeated. So he turned to another business which failed when he was 24. At 25 things started to turn around when he was elected to legislature but at 26 his love died. He had a nervous breakdown at 27 was defeated in his run for speaker at 29. He was defeated at 31 when he ran for elector, he lost in his run for congress at 34 but then managed to win at 37. He was defeated in his reelection for congress in 39, he was defeated in his run for Senate at 46, he was defeated in his run for vice president at 47, he was defeated for his run for senate at 49. But this man preservered. He was defeated over and over and over again until at the age of 51 he was elected president of the United States. In fact he would become one of the greatest presidents in our country’s history. He is Abraham Lincoln. He endured through the hardships, the trials, the defeats, the rejections, and the failures. Until he achieved his goal. That is the power of perseverance. It is vital for success. It is important in our daily lives. More significantly it is essential for our Spiritual lives. We need perseverance.

Heb 4:14-16 - Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Remember, trails produce perseverance and if we need help, we can always approach our great High Priest and find grace to help us in our time of need.