Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
I like the way the Message version puts this verse: Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
Are you meeting a testing challenge right now? I would say most of the country is. We can meet one of these challenges one of two ways... head-on or side ways.
So lets think about this. If you try to side step through a testing challenge, you are always going to be on your own. You have to make your own side steps, you have to dodge, jump and do all kinds of acrobatics as you maneuver through hurdles. Your left with yourself to blame for every misstep, every failure. It's a tough place and many of us are there every day.
Then the alternative... If its a testing challenge, how do you take it head-on? If you even contemplate doing this you start to come up with a list of side steps immediately! challenges like this require faith. Faith in the God we love because only he can take the challenge head-on.
This is so easy to write, yet so difficult to even think. Challenges come with a plethora of issues, consequences, punches, etc. It is so hard not to sit down and calculate. Yet Gos is telling us, "it's not that hard if you grab my hand."
But what do we do? "No God, you grab my hand, I'll get through this and you stay next to me in case I get in trouble." Isn't that how it works? "Such persons loyally in love with God", in other words, those who totally trust him... are rewarded!
It makes me think of the Staples® Easy Button. Are you going to go through every day, side stepping your way, jumping through hurdles, ducking obstacles, all on your own strength?
Or are you going to press the easy button of God's grace?
