ON THE VANGUARD

TESTING
“Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4

With school already underway, my daughter has started taking spelling tests. This last week she scored a 70%. While the grade is descent, I took a minute to go over the words with her that we had studied together, to see where she was having trouble. I was interested to know if she wasn’t hearing the word right, if she didn’t comprehend the rules of English spelling, or if she had just been goofing off. As I started this task she said to me, “Why do we have to take tests anyway?” What a great question. Why do we have to take tests? In school a test only shows what we have retained, but in life it seems like there is more. The tests of life seem to exhibit our faith.
For a while now I have felt like I have been living in a test. I will admit that while I like my job of processing medical claims, I have begun to lose my zeal. I have begun to find myself dreaming about the ministry, wanting to spend the full day in the study of God’s Word, and waking in my sleep from giving altar calls. And yet, when I pray and ask God when I will be released, His response is simply, “Soon.” Waiting for ‘soon’ is the test I am in. Having this dream and being so close to the door being opened has been my greatest test.
But wait, what season are we in? We are in the season of teshuvah, of seeking forgiveness. And how long does it last? It lasts for forty days. Lastly, forty is Biblically related to? If you have been following from last week you will remember that forty is a number related to testing and trials. So then, it is not uncommon for me to feel antsy in this season, for the feeling of being tested is because I truly am being tested. Coming to grips with this idea, then, leads me to James 1:2-4. James writes, “Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.” Let’s break this down, though.
To save a little time and not make this devotional so long that you see its length and pass on reading it, I ask that you trust me when I say I have looked up each of these words in the Greek. I do, however, want to point out a few of the words. First, James tells us that we will face various temptations. The word ‘face’ is the word PERIPIPTO, meaning to fall into as to be encompassed. The temptations, the PEIRASMOS, (experiments, attempts, trials, provings, integrities, enticements), that we are encompassed by are to be considered in joy. But why? It is because in these moments we are being tested in our convictions as we endure. For me, this makes sense. I have not been released into full time ministry yet, but the test is to see if I will patient and wait for His timing or jump ahead.
But I like how James says this next part. We read it as “let perseverance…”. Perseverance is the Greek word HUPOMONE. It is the same word Paul used when talking about patience as one of the fruits in Galatians 5. It means steadfastness, endurance, and deliberate purpose. The word ‘let’, however, means to wear. We are told to wear our deliberate purpose until the testing is complete. I may not be in the ministry yet, but I have His promise. Therefore my purpose becomes the wearing of His promise for me until it has been fulfilled. Is it easy? No, that is why it is a test. I am being tested to see if I will give in.
I realize I have only given you a brief snap-shot today of the depth I am learning both in this testing time, as well as in this verse. But I wanted simply to get your feet wet. I want you to consider your own tests. And I want to challenge you as I myself am being challenged, to pass the test with flying colors. We can do it; we can score an A+ on this thing, but we will not do it if we give up. In closing, I want to share with you James 1:2-4, with each word looked up already for you. In the Greek it reads, “Regard it all as an occasion of joy, my united family, when you are encompassed with various attempts of proving; for you obtain the knowledge to perceive that the trying times of your convictions result in deliberate purpose. But wear that deliberate purpose till it is brought to an end in your undertaking; so that you will be lacking nothing, indeed complete in all parts, destitute of nothing.”