“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”. – James 1:2-4
Lacking
Perhaps like many of you, our family likes to pull out puzzles during the Holiday seasons. Cozied up with the Christmas tree in the corner and a fire blazing in the hearth, the living room floor is transformed into Puzzle Central. One time worn puzzle after another makes their way onto the puzzle board and is labored over. Once finished they are taken apart (usually), and put back into the box for next season.
The most recent puzzle to make it’s way through the procession was the Thomas Kinkade portrait pictured above. Currently this is a 999 piece puzzle. Obviously we did not buy it as such. What began as a 1000 piece puzzle is now “lacking”. (Go ahead and look, I will wait for you to find the hole in the puzzle). Sadly, most of the puzzles we have worked on thus far this season have been “lacking”. I often wonder if the sock black hole doesn’t also swallow up unsuspecting puzzle pieces, but my unmatched socks aren’t talking.
Regardless of where the missing pieces end up, it is not so enjoyable to look at a puzzle that you have invested so much time into and have a “hole” (or multiple) staring back at you. So much for the building anticipation of being able to put in the final piece. As I looked at our “lacking” puzzle, I couldn’t help but think of how perhaps it is just a reflection of me/us. Despite the “work” God has invested, on this side of eternity we are all “lacking”.
Testing
Missing socks and puzzle pieces may be annoying, but in the grand scheme of things they are minor distractions. Certainly not worthy of being compared with suffering. When addressing his fellow Believers, James (as quoted above) encouraged them to “count it all joy” when facing life circumstances that test their faith. Why? Because afflictions due to our faith produce endurance (steadfastness). I am afraid that in an age that appears to be dominated by “quitters”, this is a foreign concept.
As Believers, this world is not our home. In fact, our belief system is diametrically opposed to the world. Accordingly, the world is becoming more and more antagonistic towards people of faith. In case you haven’t noticed, the opposition is becoming more and more vocal against, and less tolerant of, the Christian “worldview” and those of us that adhere to it.
What do we do in the midst of such opposition? According to James, we continue in the faith despite the cost. And as we do so we build up perseverance. This is never easy. Nor is it enjoyable at the time. But it is necessary if we wish to be “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Enduring
In the beginning of verse 4, James tells us to let steadfastness have it’s full effect. What does this mean? It doesn’t mean we are to respond like fish out of water biding our time. Instead, as one writer said, the word translated steadfastness (Hupomone) is to be thought of not as a “passive tolerance”, but rather as an “active perseverance”. The thought is that we are to “remain consistent through opposition”, and ” continue despite the difficulty”. After all, as John MacArthur has said, “The only way out of a trial is through it.”
What does this look like? The writer of Hebrews uses the same Greek word to describe how believers are to run the race of faith.
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1-2
This is a race of intentionality, not resignation! We don’t run the race with a victim mentality or martyr complex, but rather as runners so focused on the finish line that we are willing to endure any pain to reach our goal.
Perfecting
When James talks about perfection and completion, he is referring to development and wholeness (completeness), not moral perfection. The thought is one of moving towards spiritual maturity. It is becoming more like Christ, the “founder and perfecter of our faith.” If we want to become more like Him, we must endure our sufferings much like He endured the cross!
When suffering comes, we must turn to the Father for strength and hope. We need a “supernatural” response to suffering, not a worldly or fleshly one. While our flesh is inclined to lash out at those who persecute us and make us suffer, our Heavenly Father desires us to pray for them. Likewise, whereas the enemy of our souls would like us to walk away from God to avoid suffering, it is the Father’s will that we draw closer to him and strengthen our faith.
As James goes on to teach us, we must also turn to God in prayer. Specifically, praying for wisdom. As alluded to above, we need divine wisdom in order to endure suffering for our faith. As God grants us the wisdom we petition Him for, we will continue down the path of our spiritual maturity. After all, it is not the suffering that matures us, but our response to it. And for this we need wisdom from God.
Finishing
The evening that we “finished” the above puzzle, it was missing four pieces. After a little searching, three of the four were found, resulting in the 999 piece puzzle. With each newly found piece put in it’s proper place, the puzzle was moving closer to completeness. How encouraging it is to see the pieces all coming together making for a more “perfect” picture.
The process reminds me of a few more scripture passages:
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:10
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope – Romans 5:3-4
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. – 1 John 3:2-3
As stated earlier, looking at the “lacking” puzzle gave me a glimpse of myself (some days more pieces seem to be missing than others), but scriptures give me hope. Although while in the flesh we are a work in progress, the day is coming when we will be perfect in every sense of the word. As John encourages us, when Christ appears we will experience what theologians refer to as eschatological perfection. Not only will we be perfect in every sense of the word, but we will be so for all of eternity!
That is more than just a pretty picture. It is an absolute Truth!!