James 1:2

I am reading this morning's devo and I had to just pause a moment.  Thinking about the line that says you know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  It made me think about the time I was late getting to church a couple of years ago ( I hate being late to church so I put this pressure on myself) So I am tailgating this car so they would get out of my way,  when I can finally got past them I floored it to make a statement.  So imagine how I felt when I got to church and he and his family pulled up next to me and got out of their car.  What a great witness I was.  It is so easy to hide in our car because we don't think we will see that person anymore, but the Lord sees us.  He sees the text message we leave or hears the message we leave on someone else's phone, He hears what we say in our cars when we are alone, which is what we wouldn't say if someone else was in the car with us.  .  For me,   the most pressure I feel is when I am alone at home when no one can see what I am doing.  Often times that is when I have my biggest victories.  That is when I have no one to rely on except Holy Spirit …. This is what Jesus says for those who feel alone. 

¹⁵ "If you love me, obey^* my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^*
who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you ^[1]

James1: 2 MSG " Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.^[2]

James 1:4 NIV ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.^[3]

 
 

I don't know about you, but if we are being honest here I really don't like the trials that I have to go through.  Last year December I had surgery, February 5^th I was released to go back to work.  February 9^th I broke my leg in my drive way and was down almost three months.  Nothing like relying on other people to get you to places or to help you or to fix you dinner.  At the time I did not see, but I did do some growing during that time and maturing, but I am still lacking,   but I am getting there.    I have a long ways to go.