Perseverance Is A Critical Sign of Maturity

James 1:2-4
(2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (4) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Apostle James writes to the church and tells them to look at problems they face in a different way. Normally problems make us panic. Problems make us question God’s love. Problems cause us to doubt the efficacy of prayers. Problems depress us and cause us to withdraw from social spaces. Problems, unfortunately, cause others to take their lives. Problems cause others to miss worship. Problems push others into drug abuse, or criminal life, or careless and dangerous living.

Problems push others into extreme irrational religious practices hoping to woo God in their favor. Problems cause others to engage in religious prostitution as they seek help from other faiths, religions, gods, and whoever promises help. Problems shape us positively or negatively. Apostle James tells us that we should look at problems differently!

Don’t we all need a different perspective of our problems? A different perspective of the heartbreak. A different perspective of the business loss. A different perspective of termination at work. A different perspective of why you were rejected. Looking differently at the divorce. Looking differently at that death. A different understanding of that diagnosis. Apostle James tells us to look at our problems differently!

We were created to only go as far as we see. We only go for what we see. We only go where we are looking. A vehicle’s speed is supposed to be as good as the driver’s visibility. If you see total darkness, the first instant reaction is to stop. When problems come and all you see is darkness, you stop moving. When you stop moving you develop stress and worry. Stress and worry incapacitate you and unless something happens that becomes the beginning of the end of you.

The problem began when you saw darkness when problems came. Apostle James tells us that when problems come, do not see darkness, look at them differently. See hope, see opportunity, see growth, and for sure as per our creation, you will move past the problems to the direction of your vision. When problems come, look at them differently!

When you change your perspective of anything, everything about it and about you changes. When you love someone they excite you and become a source of your joy. When for some reason you start doubting the person you loved and you see them from a suspicious perspective, everything changes. They become a source of pain and heartache. The person didn’t change their name or clothes or address, only your perspective changed. Change your perspective and everything changes. Many relationship problems will drastically change if we change the perspective if we look at our partner positively. Otherwise, the thought and sight of your partner will always leave you irked yet all is in your perspective. Apostle James tells us to change the way we view our problems!

Apostle James tells us that when problems come, we should count it joy. We should be glad. We should be excited. We should look at those problems positively. This is because problems test our faith. Problems test our faith in a prayer-answering God. Problems test our faith in what the Bible teaches. When problems come, be glad that you can now prove that you trust God and His word.

When problems come, faith is under test to prove if it is genuine. When tempted to commit suicide, faith says, no, God can make what seems impossible to be possible. Problems make you feel hopeless. Faith even without evidence sees hope in God. Problems make us lonely. Faith finds God a permanent companion, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Problems cause us to despair because we are hopeless, lonely, and afraid. Faith sees differently, faith sees hope, presence of God, and an all-powerful God and therefore nothing to fear. Problems test our faith!

Problems test our faith in the teachings on loving enemies and forgiving those who offended us. Problems test our faith if we trust God to revenge therefore we don’t revenge. Problems test our faith in returning tithes and offerings even when expenses awaiting us are more than income. Problems test our faith in waiting on God without seeking a solution from other gods. Problems test our faith in God who allows death as having done what is best though we don’t understand. Problems test our faith!

Tested faith produces perseverance. When you remain faithful during problems, you develop perseverance. According to Apostle James, perseverance is a sign of maturity. Perseverance is a critical sign of maturity!

A mature person can persevere until the time for the next meal, a child cannot. A child will cry and demand to be fed before the time for the next meal. A mature person perseveres the pain of injections as treatment, a child cannot. Perseverance is a critical sign of maturity!

A mature athlete can persevere longer in exercise than a newcomer. A mature employee perseveres the ranting of the boss, the new employee gets so stressed and thinks of quitting. A mature person perseveres when love grows cold, a teenager feels the world is ending. Perseverance is a critical sign of maturity!

When problems come, your faith is tested, if you have a positive perspective you develop perseverance, if you have a negative perspective you will give up. Perseverance shows you are mature enough to see problems differently. Perseverance shows you have enough experience to know that problems are not permanent. Even those troubling you are not permanent. Perseverance is the hallmark of maturity. Perseverance is a critical sign of maturity!

When we persevere the darkness brought by the problems changes and we see light and a better day. We live in a world of sin, therefore problems will always be there, we need perseverance. May God grant us perseverance, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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