Wanting nothing

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations

Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

We are to count it joy when we face different temptations- trials of our faith. The trials of our faith work patience.

IF we are counting it joy we are doing so because we know that any trial we are facing is given to us to grow in faith. These are TRIALS of our FAITH.

Are we able to count it joy when we face hardships of all kinds? It's something that is so difficult that when achieved then you have perfect patience- and you will want nothing. How does this seem possible? Seriously, how?

Only through our Savior. Only through such a complete faith in our Savior that we are lost to self and found solely in Him. Our lives are so wrapped up in being His that we have lost all sense of selfishness, self being first and foremost. Just imagine that sort of life, living solely for Christ and trusting solely in Christ for all things. How amazing that would be.

Today I received some bad news and as the situation unfolded I felt the old irritation start to rise up in me and I was immediately reminded of yesterday's study and I paused for a moment thinking about it… thinking about 'counting it joy' as I faced this trying situation. I wanted to be upset because it's what I consider a normal reaction in this sort of occurrence and yet I knew that I need to realize that my faith was being tried, that I was being tried in fire and I could succumb to the upset or pray and place my hope in God to see me through everything. I have no idea how the situation will be resolved, and the consequences of it not being resolved are not good ones at all, but NOTHING I can do will alter a thing, nothing. I have no control over anything at all in this particular case and so getting upset will do NOTHING, however, having faith in God will do everything. Having faith- believing truly that God will take care of things even when all outward appearances shout otherwise.

Is it any wonder that if PATIENCE is allowed to have its perfect work through the trying of our faith that we will want in nothing? How can we be in want when we are placing all our hope, all our faith in our Savior?

This is so amazing that it's not easy to comprehend at all.

A full trust in God through ALL things no matter what they may be.
A JOY in the face of heart ache, pain, agony, fear, sadness.

It seems unbelievable yet this is truth, truth we need to learn and live by.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

This is a progressive work, very progressive work and that means it will happen over time, a learned process. We fall in diver(s) temptation(s)- plural and this isn't all at once. We fall over and over again every day we live may present a trail, or several in one day there is no telling, none. The trying of our faith- and our faith will be tried over and over- this will work patience in us if we are seriously seeking to deal with our temptations and trials in the love of our Savior. We need to LET patience have her PERFECT work and it is a work and we will be perfected and ENTIRE, wanting nothing.

We'll want nothing because we will possess all that truly matters.

The pure love of our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ!

In His love and grace, His mercy, His righteousness, may His kingdom come!


Amen.