Plea for Grace – January 3, 2024

learning steadfastness . . .

James 1:2-4, 12 ESV] 
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ... 
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

I recently saw a quote from John Macarthur — “God doesn’t have to test us to find out what’s in our heart. He tests us so that we can find out .. .”

I thought of that quote and the above-written Scripture when I saw that my last post was more than two months ago, and that post was my reflections on endurance in suffering.

It’s almost 70 days from that last post, and I am still “in the throes of it” and have gained comfort and confidence in God’s steadfast love and faithfulness

and

have had impatience, discontent and selfishness exposed so I could repent and forsake sinfulness and pursue holiness.

Since it is January, I find myself in Genesis in my daily Bible reading. This time, when I got to the event of Esau despising his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25) I was convicted of my short-sightedness, of my lack of faith in God’s certain promise. I had just been reviewing James 1, and when I got to verse 12, just cried out — “at this moment I don’t care about the crown of life; I just want to breathe normally; I just want to read without limit; I just want to (fill in your own blanks for your particular rant) . . . .”

Just as Esau traded away a certain future promise for a present moment of comfort/satisfaction, my temper tantrum expressed my sinful willingness to trade away an assured future reality for a very temporary comfort. God is so gracious to show me my sin so I could repent and forsake such evil.

[Psalm 119:75-77 ESV] 
75 I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 
76 Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. 
77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

God is always right. God always acts in my best interest. God does not bend to my temporary whims. God will fulfill His purpose for me (Psalm 138:8). God is patiently teaching me to remain steadfast; to learn contentment and trust; to have a heart of gratitude and joy.