God’s Perfect Work

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭‬‬

Driving east on interstate 40 there is really rough roads as you head from Arizona into New Mexico. We had to drive through it to reach our destination. Along the way we saw several accidents caused by people speeding. Several times we were delayed for twenty minutes to over an hour and a half, although that one was a semi truck on fire.

There are often delays caused by people wanting to get to their destination faster causing wrecks along the path on even short trips. They don’t want to wait at the light, so they speed through. Or they see the long line and despite traffic being backed up they turn right creating a longer wait for those who should be able to go at the light. They ignore the speed limit and cut in and out of traffic.

This made me think about my Christian walk. I, like most Christians, want to fulfill God’s purpose in my life. However, I often create delays when I try to take timing in my own hand.

Sometimes I jump the gun, going when I am supposed to be still and let God be God in my situation. Other times God says stop, and I just want to keep moving towards the goal I have in sight. Other times I just don’t want to wait on God’s timing so I press forward in my own strength, instead of following His lead. I try to find a shortcut instead of allowing God to walk me through the process.

Regardless, whether I acknowledge it or not, these personal tactics delay me from getting to where God wants me to be. There are lessons He is trying to teach me along the way. Yes, much of that is trusting Him, obeying Him, surrendering my will to name a few, but there are also things that have to be developed in my that rushing the process doesn’t allow, God is not going to let me get His will my way. While I will always have a choice to make in surrender, He is not going to take me somewhere my character cannot sustain me. If I get myself there early, failure may come first.

The worse thought is that my not being ready means that people who need what God has placed in me are missed or delayed. It becomes a spiral in the body of Christ. While God has the ability to use others who are ready, it still shirks my responsibility to the Kingdom.

So if the trials of life create a delay that produces faith in me I can count it joy as I patiently learn how to allow God’s perfect work to be formed in my life. I just have to quit trying to rush the process and doing things my way.