James 1:12(AMP) – Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
There are times when I take a mental snapshot of my life in terms of the world’s standards; my financial struggles, lack of social status, my self-diagnosed failures as a parent, unresolved issues as a husband, my lack of compassion as a brother and son. Human failures weigh heavily on me. It’s the perfect breeding ground for Satan to inject doubt and discontent into my weary spirit. He tries to convince me that I’ve strayed from God’s path; that somehow, what I thought was God’s intended direction was nothing more than my own egotistical desires. He chides, no matter what I do, I’ll fail in this life.
James saw this plight coming. He knew what Satan might attempt to do to the devoted Christian who stumbles. He knew our faith would come under fire and wrote an epistle to specifically address faith in action versus weak, idle faith. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial,” he says.
Everyday life is the trial. Though we may be new creations, we still struggle with the sin of our own humanity. James encourages us to not only lean on God’s word, but to put the word into action in our everyday lives. Fight Satan with faith action.
