James: More GraceSample

Are you a blessed person? Is God’s favour resting on you?

You may look at your current circum- stances and not feel very blessed at all.

James has begun his letter by speaking to his Christian friends about testing times. He expects them to face trials of many kinds. Being a Christian is no guarantee of an easy life, quite the reverse actually. You may look at your experience of life now and not be able to see much evidence that God’s favour is resting on you.

• But what is the right way to spot a blessed person, according to James (v. 12)?

You can’t tell who is blessed by looking at how easy or hard a person’s life seems to be now. The thing to look for is their perseverance. Has this person kept on trusting and loving Christ through every trial that has come their way? Have they ‘stood the test’, or have they given up on their faith? James is very clear here: ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial’. That is how you tell if someone has God’s blessing. Look for the person who is keeping on keeping on!

• Why is this person blessed (v. 12)?

This person is blessed because of what is awaiting them in the future. James wants to lift the gaze of his brothers and sisters from the trials of today to what is coming. Testing times won’t last forever. In the end, the person who stands the test and perseveres in loving the Lord Jesus will receive ‘the crown of life’. That is what he has promised us.

Being a Christian now is an experience of both loving and trusting. We love the Lord Jesus and we trust his promises. In the gospel, the Lord promises to give eternal life to those who love him, and we can be certain that he will do what he has said. You may be in humble or difficult circumstances now, but you have a glorious future coming.

No wonder James told his friends, ‘Consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds’ (1:2). It is these tests of faith that produce perse- verance in us. This testing develops our patience and steadfastness so that we do keep going.

Persevering in trusting and loving Jesus is really important. For it is the one who perseveres to the end who is blessed, and no one else.

Pray

Thank God for his promise to give the crown of life to those who persevere in loving and trusting him. Ask him to help you do that, whatever happens.