BLESSED ARE THEY THAT ENDURE
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12
God pronounces a blessing on those who endure tribulations and trials. Facing hardship is as much a part of life as victories and rejoicing are. There are no exemptions from trials in this pilgrimage. We are going to face difficulties and travel through stormy weather in this journey. We cannot decide if we are going to have trials; we can only decide how we will behave in them.
There are things we can be certain of during our times of testing. We can know that God permits them, knowing full well the limits of our endurance. We can also know that with every temptation, there will be a sufficient portion of God’s grace available to enable us to walk through it for His glory. It may seem, at times, that we will not be able to bear up under the pressure of our trials, but we must remember that the God who is our strength will see us through.
This promised blessing is not only for the man who suffers, but also for the person who endures suffering with love and grace. God is vitally interested in the manner in which we go through our problems. It is not enough that we simply survive our adversities. Some people who manage to get through their dark valleys are hardened and bitter as a result of the path they have trod. Above all, we should strive to glorify God in these temptations.
Our text places our love for the Savior in the same context as our endurance. Surely, this is no coincidence. Our love for God motivates us to please Him in all things. Our appreciation for all that Jesus endured for our sakes should give us incentive to endure hardship for His sake. Thank God He did not falter on His way to the cross. A crown of life is promised to those who faithfully endure temptations. It is neither the famous nor successful saint who will be rewarded in that great day, but the faithful.
Let us not faint nor murmur in the face of problems, but rather endure patiently. A crown of life awaits us. Trials have a way of seeming to go on forever, but in reality, they are so brief compared to the eternal reward. We should not grow weary in our times of testing and temptation. Eternal blessedness awaits those who glorify God through the trials of life.