“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4, NIV).
When I was young, I used to play with caterpillars. There were cute little ones and ugly ones and furry ones and smooth ones. Such variety! But they all had one thing in common: They all formed a chrysalis and spent time becoming a beautiful butterfly. When the time came, the struggle would begin as the little bug fought its way out into the world, a new creature.
One day I saw one little chrysalis jumping around on the tray. I felt so sorry for the little bug inside its “prison”, obviously wanting to escape, and I wanted to help. So, running to the house, I found a pair of scissors and carefully cut off the top of the chrysalis to help it out. When the bug popped out, I discovered my mistake. Its wings were deformed, and it was colorless!
There are times you'll have to yield to living through a difficult time, but not without the power of God to do it.
How was I to know the color came into the little thing’s wings in the triumph of the struggle? How was I to know that it took that deathly struggle to release the wings in order for that little bug to soar above the earth that had been its natural habitat? When I have been unable to save my children the difficult times in life, I have observed that in the struggle the color of their Christian character has come into their wings, and they have risen above their dire dilemmas.
So it was with Job. He had been a “good” man, but through his tragedies he became a “gold” one! And whereas the things that he feared had anchored him to the earth, his deathly struggle raised him to a new dimension of living. The Bible calls that victory!
What tough times has God allowed in your life that you need to accept today? Where has God caused growth in your life as a result of hardship? Thank Him for not abandoning you through the tough times and for making you more like Him.
