James 1:2-6
[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.
[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. [6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Steadfastness is not a trait we just stumble upon. In fact, women are often known in their homes for being the opposite of steadfast. We’re often known for being the ones who are all worked up in a tizzy because of silly little things like muddy shoe prints on the recently mopped floor or dinners that are not on schedule to be on the table in time. We’re typically known as the moody ones because it’s that “time of the month”. And just like many other aspects of our faith we aren’t just going to fall into steadfastness. It is a trait that is churned out over many seasons in the life of a Christian woman and it’s one that is developed very intentionally.
Thankfully, James 1: 2-6 gives us instruction on how to pursue steadfastness. Read these verses again.
[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.
[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. [6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
The first thing James tells us to do it start counting. We’re supposed to start counting joy when we face trials. So begin practicing this in the small trials. Work those muscles out with the small weights before the really heavy lifting.
When you have dinner guests coming in 5 minutes and the food is not going to be ready on time, pray. Ask the Lord to help you laugh at yourself, how silly your desire is to let your joy be robbed by dinner plans! Better to serve the Lord with a joyful heart than serve your guests a perfectly timed meal.
The second thing we’re to do is know what these trials produce in us. Testing should encourage us because even our trials, in Christ, don’t go to waste. God turns a profit on our trials and uses them to create holiness in us. The specific trait he’s creating in us through trials is steadfastness. Over time and in faith, the Lord is producing in us women who “laugh at the days to come” (Prov. 31:25) and are steadfast pillars of our family that put on display for our people the anchor that Christ truly is through trials big and little alike.
Thirdly we are to allow steadfastness to have its full affect in us. We practice steadfastness in small trivial trials so when the “bigger” weightier trials come, we can invite the uncomfortable work of steadfastness to guide our responses. It seems silly to practice counting it joy when you forget your wallet at the store and have to drive all the way back home to retrieve it. But if your attitude is willing to bend to being in a huff all afternoon in that scenario, how are you going to train it to respond differently in a more serious one? And there will be more serious trials we can be assured of that; like when serious anxiousness, fear or depression creep in.
Which leads us to the fourth thing James tells us to do which is to ask for wisdom, in faith, believing God will give it to us. When you begin to fear if you’ll ever get married or have babies, have anxiety about how your coworker or friend perceived your comment today, or begin to feel those yucky feelings or sad thoughts creep in at night time ask your Heavenly Father for wisdom.
Steadfastness is anchored in trust that God will provide the wisdom for our way out, not necessarily a change in circumstances.
And lastly when we ask for this wisdom, we believe in faith that He will provide. We are Christians. We have been saved. What can man do? (Ps. 118: 6) We stand in faith of the promises of God in His word, manifested in Christ. This is the anchor for our soul which produces in us a steadfastness that testifies with our salvation that we belong to the Lord. (Heb. 6:19)
Lord, help me to let steadfastness have its full effect in me that I may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. That I would count all as joy, in big trials and silly ones. Knowing that when I come upon one, I can ask for your divine wisdom and I will receive it. Give me the gift of belief in your Word, that I might live out these truths and so be formed into a Christian woman marked by steadfastness.
I believe your are doing this work in me.
In Christ’s name I pray this,
Amen.