Got perseverance?

James 1:2-4
. . . when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

This is a familiar passage that is my tutor right now! Jesus evidently believes that perseverance is a terribly important quality to possess! Recently, I was reading biographies of Hudson Taylor and George Mueller and meditating on our past experiences of leaping off cliffs. I was slightly frustrated that the Lord continually seems to be pleased to make those who jump off cliffs wait for His answers until the last possible second before they hit bottom! "WHY?!! When your resources are glorious and unlimited, why do you make it a habit of seemingly withholding until near disaster?" Truly, I've been asking this question.

And today, as I was reading Scripture, I was given the answer. He values the characteristic of perseverance. He would rather that I am "strong in character and ready for anything" than that I have everything I need, the moment it seems I need it. Hmmm. Ok, Jesus. I will have everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). I am seeking the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, so I know that all "these things" are being and will be added unto me. BUT, there is a bit of a delay between the need and the answer. And this delay is a purposeful delay. If you have asked the Lord for something you know is in His heart for you, or if you have promises of God yet unfulfilled, maybe you are in the perseverance development stage?! If you are in the midst of this development, the verses below may encourage you. . . or cause you to want to throw a shoe through your computer screen! I don't recommend the latter! :-) We can't afford to give up. . . no matter how long we have been waiting on God. He will not disappoint. So join me today in persevering with joy in the knowledge of what it is developing within us.

2 Peter 1:6
". . . patient endurance leads to godliness."

I Peter 1:7
"These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

Romans 5:3-5
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us - they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Hebrews 10:36
"Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."

Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with perseverance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven."