Faith by itself without action is dead. James 2:17
God has never promised us a perfect life, but He promised to always be present during trials and tribulations. Since we live in a broken word, trials will always come our way. For this, we need to be prepared.
One of the things needed during both good and bad times as Christians is faith. Faith does not grow by itself; you and I have to do something for it to grow. Faith is a muscle and building it requires healthy habits. Just as we give our bodies healthy nutrients and exercise to live a long and healthy life, our spirit needs healthy food, which is the Word of God, on a daily basis. This cannot be a one-time thing; it must be a lifestyle. There is NO shortcut on this. We have to live a prayer life, and God can always help us build it if we ask Him for help.
In the book of James, we are told to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance, and perseverance makes us mature and complete in our faith (James 1:2-4). For us to grow in faith, we have to go through hard and uncomfortable situations. The above verse may seem unrealistic; how can we be joyful when going through trials, as sometimes it feels like going through fire! Only when pushing through, persevering, knowing that He will never leave us not forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8) in any circumstance.
As a metal going through fire becomes flexible, or as a potter puts a pot through fire when molding it and preparing it for its final and finest look, so does our faith become pure and grow through trials. God uses every challenge in our life to reveal what’s inside of us. It is in the refining that we are made to look like Him. Next time, when you are faced with hard things and can’t understand why, consider it an opportunity for great joy; that’s when you will know that you are growing and becoming more like Jesus. This does not mean that you will have to be smiling and dancing all the time, because there is a difference between being happy and joyful. I love Wikipedia’s definitions of happiness and joy: Happiness is often a fleeting emotion that’s sparked by a specific event or moment, while joy is a more lasting state of being. Joy is a deeper emotion than happiness that comes from within—from a sense of purpose and meaning, including finding meaning in suffering. As a child of God, you know that all you have to do is not worry about anything but “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
God allows people to be tested, like when He tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar. When reading this passage in Genesis 22, the first thing that caught my attention is that every time God would call Abraham, he would immediately respond by saying, “Here I am.” When God asked him for the sacrifice, it says in verse 3 that Abraham set out the next morning, heading where God had told him to go. For Abraham to respond instantly, he had to have a prayer life, which allowed him to hear God and be obedient. As a father, I am sure Abraham’s heart was grieving, especially when Isaac asked him what they were going to give as a sacrifice in verse 7, but Abraham responded saying that God would provide. What faith!
As Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, an angel stopped him and provided him with a ram instead; God provided! Abraham was considered righteous for what he did in being faithful to what God told him when giving his son on the altar. His faith and his actions were working together, and as a result, his faith was made complete by what he did (James 2:22); he was called God’s friend (James 2:23). A person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your unwavering presence during our trials and tribulations. Strengthen our faith and help us to grow in it through our actions. Teach us to rely on Your Word daily and to live a life of prayer. May we find joy in the midst of our challenges, knowing that You are refining us to become more like Jesus. Grant us the perseverance to push through difficult times and the understanding that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Like Abraham, may we respond to Your call with obedience and trust in Your provision. Help us to live out our faith in action and be counted as righteous in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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