By David ReayWednesday 21 Dec 2022LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 2 minutes
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. (NIV)
There are dazzling days and there are dull days. Our journey to Christian maturity is not always smooth, not always comfortable, not always speedy. We may occasionally hear of followers of Jesus embracing lives marked by consistent victory and enviable we need to say goodbye glamour.
Don’t believe it! There are only two types of Christians: those who struggle and let you know they struggle, and those who struggle and keep it to themselves. The Bible repeatedly makes the point that we need to persevere, and perseverance is not at all glamorous. It is hard slog which can make us wonder if we are making any progress at all.
Sure, we have breakthroughs and noticeable victories. We have seasons of more observable growth. At other times, we simply put one foot in front of the other and trust this is what God wants us to do. Thrill a minute discipleship is not on offer. There will be thrills but there will also be spills.
No need to panic if we are merely persevering. It is part and parcel of the journey to maturity. The dull days help us grow in ways the dazzling days may not. Perseverance doesn’t hit the headlines; it may not make us feel good. But it is God’s design for a deeper life. To embrace growth, we may need to say goodbye to glamour.
Blessings
David