James 1:2-4
New International Version (NIV)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
King James Version (KJV)
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
I put both versions, because one says perseverance, and the other says patience. I like the word perseverance here, although the word patience is a good word also.
Perseverance is an interesting thing to me. It's the hardest thing to do, but yet without it you don't learn and grow to maturity in faith. The way we learn perseverance is when we go through trials. The Lord may test my faith at times, but holding on and keeping faith and persevering through the trial will make my faith stronger, because I an exercising it.
Faith isn't just believing that God is who he says he is. Faith is believing that he can do what he says he can do, and trusting him to do it. Faith is continuing to trust even when you don't think you can continue, because you want an answer now, or you don't understand why God has said no. It takes persevering through trials in order to make this faith grow.
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