Perseverance

Perseverance

“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.”

(James 1 vs.1-3)

            We will face trials in our lives. Some are simple, some are complex, and all help us become better people when we deal with them correctly. James is exactly correct; tests of our faith develop character and perseverance.

            Remember the story read to us as children about the tortoise and the hare? The hare gets overconfident and loses the race. He was the fastest, had all the advantages but lacked commitment and persistence. My favorite poster hung on my office wall for 30 years. It was of a very long windy road, miles long and showed a lone runner. The distance to the horizon appeared to be out to infinity! The caption read “The race is not always to the swift but to those who keep on running!” The title was persistence.

            James and Jesus knew it; we hear and understand it; we need to persevere in our faith to make the world a better place.

Thought for the Day:  Today, this week, month and year let us remember our faith. Each day let us spread our love and joy to make our presence felt in a positive way.

Prayer for Today: Dear God, today we give thanks for your presence in our lives and the ability to resist temptations. Amen