One time in a bible study I was doing we were studying in the
first chapter of James where it says, “My brethren, count it
all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the
testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience
have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who
gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But
let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the
sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man
suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is
a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
The study leader was Beth Moore and she brought
up an interesting fact that the word Various in the Greek is poikilos. She said that it looks
like a word we get Polka dot from and means “more than
one; individual and separate. I just
thought it to be a fun thought and wrote that in my bible. Here James is talking about the different
trials that we will go through in our lives… many different types and shapes
and sizes. Now, nobody likes to go
through trials. They are painful and
they stretch us. I have been through a
few in my life and so far I see that during that time I am more desperate for
God. I need Him. I grope for Him. So often when things are going well I tend to
get off focus and seem to do whatever I want and not seek Him. You see… if we don’t have testing or
hardships how will we learn patience and lack nothing? He is enough for us. We just have to ask for wisdom.. He says “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Eph. 3:20.
I remember as a child in school getting to do the dot to dot
pages. You know, the ones that start with 1. And then you go
to 2. And connect all the dots till a
picture appears. I think that is what James
could have been talking about. God has
already written our story… He has it all mapped out with each number to connect
to the next dot…we cannot see the full picture till all the dots are connected
but it is a great picture once perfected and completed. It is our job to ask Him for wisdom and to
believe His plan… I want to receive all the things the Lord has planned for my
life. I don’t want to skip any dots or
go the wrong direction. Next time you go
through a difficult time.. think of the polka dot.. .they always makes me happy
Let’s all take the time today to ask God to be joyful knowing that
all this faith testing is producing a great picture of the life He has already
have mapped out for us when we choose to believe and walk in obedience. ! I am always remembering that verse Mark 9:24
that says “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”
Just pray this! He will answer!
Gals, He loves us so… He
makes beautiful things out of us! What a
picture of beauty you are!
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