Hardship and Refinement Are God’s Blessings. A Commentary on James 1:2–4
My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
- James 1:2–4
Today’s Verse Illustrated
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
From this verse we can see that we should face trials with a right attitude, for hardship and adversity can make up for our shortfalls and temper our will. And this suffering and refinement can lead us to success. For example, throughout the ages, the saints and prophets who were after God’s heart had all suffered hardships before they were fit for God’s use and received God’s blessings. Abraham was blessed by God because he chose to sacrifice his beloved only son to satisfy God. Moses experienced forty years of hardship in the wilderness and then cast off his hot blood. After that, he undertook the heavy responsibility of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Although property and children were taken, Job still maintained true faith in God and feared God and shunned evil, and so he was praised by God and gained His blessings. As Peter followed the Lord, he experienced tribulations and refinement hundreds of times, and in the end was nailed upside down on the cross, achieving obedience unto death and loving God to the utmost. The Bible records that, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried” (Daniel 12:10). It tells us that only through hardship and refinement can we be made complete by God and have our life disposition changed. The Lord Jesus said, “Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Hope we can understand God’s will and take up the cross to follow the Lord.
Source from: Find the shepherd
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