Hope

A short time ago (and I mean short in relation to years) God wrote an affinity on my heart for the epistle of James.

And by affinity, I mean obsession.

And by obsession, I mean I devoured commentary after commentary, scouring paper after essay, seeking to know all that can be known.

Little did I know then, that these 5 chapters would sustain my faith.

108 verses contained my life's story, my hope in redemption, and my drive to move beyond grief.

 

It opens with a punch to the chest, knocking the wind from the proverbial sails of lukewarm Christians everywhere. The NASB translates verses 2-4 like this: "(2) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have it's perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Ouch.

"WHEN."

A promise that life will, indeed, be full of trials, of various degrees, kinds, and durations.

"JOY"

A fruit of the Spirit. Not to be confused with happiness.

"LET"

Shows that the process is hands-on, offering a choice to participate.

"COMPLETE"

Whole. Entire. Fulfillment.

 

This nugget of Truth does not stand alone, it's cousin found in Romans, chapter 5: "(3) ...and not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance (4) and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope, (5) and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

 

So one can surmise that hope can be and should be the silver lining. The goal. Hope comes after the storm. And hope comes from God.

Christian living is a process - one that we can be refined by, or one that we can rebuke and die by. Since my obvious choice is to live through the Refiner's fire, I have resolved to "let" this process have it's course, and vacuum up every crumb of wisdom I can find in it. Let this trial propel me to conform to the image of Jesus, the Messiah. Let this testing of my faith teach me to endure, persevere.

 

The Christian disposition doesn't reflect reality. We too often look to Jesus as a soft of Band-Aid, a cure-all. A promise that life will greatly improve with Salvation, and after ever harried prayer whispered when faced with misfortune.

We overlook the abundance of Scriptural proof that "life" on earth will actually get harder - from the standpoint of our comfort level, the closer we walk with God. Our uninhibited faith in Jesus as Savior is meant to propel us from this comfort level, into a Christ-like suffering.

Please don't misinterpret this for martyrdom.

 

I cling to hope. Hope that I will eventually cry less. Hope that I will see my brother in Heaven.

Hope that I will be found doing that which God calls me to, daily, as I tread the murky trials of life on earth.

Hope that the suffering will end.

Hope that God will sustain me, right now, in an hour, tomorrow, and beyond.

 

My prayer is that as I maneuver this trial called grief, I will be refined by it not defined by it.

 

I will not lose my perspective on hope.
--Julie--