James 1:2-4 MSG “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”
You are right where you need to be. You are in the season God wants you to be in. Your breakthrough is right there. This is why we need more than just willpower. We need spiritual grit. This is the empowerment and willingness to move forward in the face of opposition, because of the promise of something greater.
Grit says: I will stay here until God tells me to move. We need grit to be the men and women God has called us to be. Did you know we are in good company when we want to quit? Moses and Elijah both wanted to die after doing miraculous things.
The more spiritual grit we activate, the less quitting we do. Don’t quit what God has told you to do. From this spiritual grit, we can derive deep joy that transcends our circumstances. We are no longer doing it for our sake alone. We are doing this for the kingdom of God.
Remember, joy is about perspective, not circumstance.
Hebrew 12:14-17 MSG “Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise, you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.”
Some sins easily entangle us.
Hebrews 12:2 NIV “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. Do you remember when Peter got out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the water in the middle of a storm (Matthew 14:28-32). Peter didn’t start to sink until he took his eyes off Jesus. Not until his perspective shifted from Christ did he start to sink.
Are we keeping our focus on Jesus in the midst of every circumstance in our lives?
Pastor Daryl’s White Water Rafting Story
I went white water rafting with my family. Before we started we were given the directions, and the instructor told us that the rapids we were about to encounter were levels 4 and 5. I looked at my family and said, “why are we doing this?”
The instructor told us that he would give us cues when we were out there. He gave cues so that we would know what to do. Once we were in the rapids there were moments we were completely submerged.
I was frightened, but all I had to go on was what the instructor had told me to do based on what he said would happen. He said, “if you fall out don’t struggle or swim back to the boat. Just relax. The rapids will shoot you out.”
I trusted him, because he had walked this journey before. All I had to do was listen to his voice and remember what he said. Now that I’ve been through this before I can say, “bring it on!” Because I know what is coming next. God has got me. Much like that instructor had me.
Here is another way to look at this. How many of you like surprises? We like the surprises we pick. The surprises we don’t like we call problems. The reality we can live in is that we have nothing to worry about, because He has defeated the world.
We remain in good company. Here is an excerpt of Paul’s journey.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NIV “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”
“because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:3
We must learn to not rely on ourselves but instead on God.
2 Corinthians 1:9 “Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
Hebrews 12:6-8 NIV “because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.”
Hebrews 12:11 NIV “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
God is training us to live our best holy life for Him. No pain no gain. God is shaping our spiritual character. Don’t give up in the middle because God is working James 1:4 “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Here is what we can do.
- Embrace your trials
- Shift your perspective
- Persevere with purpose
- Let God complete you