For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

James‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ NLT

Some of the greatest athletes of our time, never would have made it without a certain level of endurance. Not only physical, but also, as we have seen in recent years, mental toughness.
Some of our heroes and heroes of faith would never have made it, had it not been for a certain level of tenacity, spiritual endurance developed along the way.

Endurance is like a muscle.  It grows with a proper use of exercise or training and it shrinks for the lack of the same.

Endurance is not only “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity, but it is also the ability to improve.

It is not a matter of if our faith will come under immense testing and trial, but a matter of when. During these times, there are seven thing we can do to keep our edge and win in the battle.  Look with me at these:

1.  Count it all joy.
See verse 2

“God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.” AW Tozer

When troubles come our way: We should “Count it all joy.”  Consider it an opportunity for great joy. This is one of those great paradoxes of the Kingdom.  It’s all about perspective.  It’s all about seeing the big picture and the design of trials.  If we can only see the purpose of trials is to produce spiritual maturity in our lives, we will never allow them to discourage us.

The Greek dokimion (“testing”) denotes a positive test with a favorable outcome. If you can imagine or believe that God has wrapped a favorable outcome in your trials, it can set you free from worry, fear and anxiety.

So remind yourself, “this trial is good for me.” This is how I can build endurance. And this is my chance to grow it.”

2. Seek Wisdom from above. See verse 5…

Wisdom is a God given, God centered discernment regarding the practical issues of life. We need discernment. This discernment comes to us from above, but we must first ask God for it,

If we try to bring our own experience or preconceived ideas to our situation, we might miss what God wants to do. If we fail to seek God and act on impulse or some “gut feeling we might get ourselves in more trouble.

Scripture says we should “ask our generous Father for wisdom and he will give it to us.”  His ways are higher than our.  The way of a man seems right at the moment, but in the end, it leads to death, destruction, trouble.

God invites us to pray – to pray for wisdom because He does not want to us to settle for earthly (fleshly), unspiritual or even demonic wisdom. If the wisdom we seek to apply to our circumstance is not “pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere,” will put ourselves in more trouble.

God is always a step ahead of our trials, so it make sense to get to know what He knows. He said, “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths straight.”

So remind yourself, “this trial is good for me.” This is how I can build endurance.  And this is my chance to grow it.”

3.  Perspective counts too.
See verse 9

“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation.”

There are a few radical, mind bugging phrases in the scripture that really gets me thinking. For example: When it says –

• “let the weak say I am strong…”
• ” let the poor say I am rich…”
• or “call the things that are not as though they are”

I know this is calling me to change my perspective on things. In other words, seeing my lack or my poverty, shouldn’t paralyze my faith. Seeing my enemies surrounding me with soldiers, horses and chariots doesn’t mean I am alone.

Too often, in times of crisis, and lack, we focus to much on the impossibilities instead on the possibilities.  There are three kinds of people when it comes to seeing beyond the natural.

1. Doubting Thomas – if they can’t see it – they can’t believe it.
2. Mystical Gideon – extra proof is better for them to believe it.
3. But Jesus talked about a third kind of people – they believe it even though they do not see it.

I believe Jesus wants all of us to believe it even though we don’t see it.

So remind yourself, “this trial is good for me.”  This is how I can build endurance.  And this is my chance to grow it.”

4.  Stay under the pressure. See verse 12,

“If you are not bleeding – you are not leading.” Sam Chand

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.  I have never met a single person who truly enjoys the pressures and burdens of life.  Every time it comes around we lose heart and throw in the towel and run from under it. But we need to understand, that not because we back down the pressure is going to go away.  We must stay steadfast under it, and after we have stood the test, we will receive the crown of life.

So tell yourself, “this trial is good for me because I need endurance,many this is my chance to grow it.”

5.  Beware of deception. See verse 16.

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”

If we are not careful and discerning, we can easily be tricked into believing a lie.  If we are not careful, we can easily get off track. Too often, the enemy tries to tell us that the God we serve is not a good God. Unfortunately, we buy into that lie too many times. God does not make you sick to grow your faith or to make you strong. He uses the good, the bad and the ugly to make us strong.  Remind yourself that “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” God will never waste a good opportunity to make you strong.

So remind yourself, “this trial is good for me. because I need endurance, and  this is my chance to grow it.”

6. Don’t offer the sacrifice of fools. See verse 19

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

This passage is one of the clearest verses in all of scripture, but it is amazing how we seem to complicate it and or ignore it altogether.  In times of crisis, it is to your advantage to adopt a listening posture.  You want to hear from God. You also want to receive wisdom from friends and family. But at the same time, there is a lot of emotions and thoughts rushing through your mind. The only way to deal with all of this, is to become a listener.

So tell yourself, “this is a smart move for me, because I need endurance, and this is my chance to grow it.”

7. Stand on the word. See verse 22

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

I have observed a disturbing trend in among many Christians when it come to the word of God. Why is it that some Christians are more apt to obey a word of prophesy, a prompting by the Spirit or a dream with a clear direction than they are obeying what is simply written on the pages of the Bible.  God has given his word to guide us through every crisis in life.  Just stand in obedience upon his word. That is key to developing great endurance

Here’s the bottom line: We need endurance to run this race set before us. And God has given us proven ways to grow it. God can use every trial to make us stronger. He can take every setback and turn it into a stepping stone.

Don’t go chasing after trials. But when them come, don’t go running from them either. Let it build you up, let it help you grow. “For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ NLT)

So tell yourself, “this is a smart move for me, because I need endurance, and this is my chance to grow it.”