How to build enduring faith
“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James 1:3 NLT
“It’s time for your test.” Does that statement raise your blood pressure? Do you to break out in a sweat? A test means someone is going to determine how much you know or how healthy you are. We probably felt the most anxiety during school when we faced a test unprepared. When we studied hard and got a good night’s sleep prior to an exam, we could face it with less stress than if we hadn’t read the book or reviewed our notes. For fitness testing, we want to have an opportunity to exercise and build endurance and strength for a few months before the test. We want to be prepared.
But scripture is not talking about our mental or physical abilities. Testing one’s faith implies that we endure hardship, persecution, isolation, pain or struggles of other kinds. Certainly, these are not the types of experiences we would choose.
Today’s verse from James says that when testing happens, our endurance has a chance to grow. It doesn’t always happen, just as a carrot and an egg yield two different outcomes when placed in boiling water. The raw egg, which is very fragile, becomes infinitely stronger, while the hardy carrot turns soft and mushy.
Just as preparation for any test can yield good results, there are things we can do to prepare ourselves for tests of our faith. Immersing ourselves in scripture is a vital first step. Corrie Ten Boom, a concentration camp survivor, shared the importance of not just reading scripture, but of hiding it in our hearts through regular memorization.
Prayer is another place of preparation. Spending time talking with God just as we would talk with a friend lets us express our joys and concerns along with sharing the desires of our heart. We can ask God to use the testing to make us stronger.
Developing endurance by placing ourselves in nourishing environments leads to lives that flourish, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Surrounding ourselves with godly people will help give us strength for when the trials come. When we prepare and ask for His help, we can be sure that God will give us endurance for whatever testing we may face.
—Kathy McMillan, MA, is director of Employee Spiritual Care for Loma Linda University Medical Center.
