Aug 15 2008
Patience - James 1:2-4
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Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4 (New Living Translation)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (New International Version)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4 (The Message)
How I know this is true. It does help me to grow, but in reading this today the part that stood out to me in this verse created a question. “So don’t try to get out of anything “PREAMATURELY”….I never noticed the word prematurely before in this verse. How do we know what that means…Is there a time when we know when to say, ok this is enough, Anyone have any ideas?
I’m with Melinda on this one. What does it mean ” So don’t try to get out of anything Preamaturely”? Does that mean when you are going thru something that is not good for you mentally, spiritually & emotionally, we are to stay in that situation, which is causing so much pain & confusion? I don’t know if I can do that. I mean I’m at my witts end over this & I don’t see any other option, but, to leave from my 8 year marriage. I have given all I can give & don’t have it in me to do this anymore!! I’ve thought long & hard about this. Please, if anyone can help with this, please let us know!!!
heres my 2 cents. I’m not a pastor or anything, i just love Jesus and I love reading the bible. I think what it means by don’t get out of anything prematurely is that you shouldn’t give up on something because of pressure. the world will put pressure on you and try your faith and test what you believe. My best friend was going through some really tough times in his marriage a couple years ago. Him and his wife were seperated, and they just didn’t see how it could work out. they had their own family members telling them it was over and they should get a divorce. you want to talk about pressure from the world. but they didn’t give into the pressures of the world when their faith was tested. they decided to believe corinthians 13:8 where it says love never fails when their faith in that verse was tested. and today they have a happy marriage. I can’t tell you what decision is right for you. if your husband is beating you or something then you should probably leave. but if you are giving up on something just because its hard then thats probably the wrong decision. there’s my 2 cents I hope that helps. I actually wrote a song about being patient when things don’t go the way you want them to. you can hear it at http://www.purevolume.com/rocklegendaarongiese. its not quite as serious as your situation, but it might help. I really hope things work out for you. May God bless you.
-Aaron