Daily Journal: 5 June

Big Words

Testing. Surrender. These are big words in the Christian faith. There are many days we fail the ideals of Christ’s teachings – look at the beautiful fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Read also the most well-known passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13.

We cannot attain these things on our own but we will be tested by them. If we think we can do it in our own strength we will toppled off that perch pretty quickly. God doesn’t mean for us to do it on our own. He means for us to get to know the Holy Spirit, who is at work in us, who can produce this beauty for us.

What do we need to have on our own? Only the decision to receive Him. Another way of saying that is total surrender.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV)

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Another word for temptation in this scripture can be translated as testing. It’s not only talking of temptations of the flesh as we normally think of temptation. If we are being tested, there will also be the overwhelming temptation to respond in certain ways that may be damaging, such as inappropriate anger or gossiping or slandering someone (haven’t we talked about someone or criticised someone behind their back?).

If we are surrendered to God’s will, despite our inclinations to respond in certain ways that don’t glorify God in us, God will help us to see a way through it. If we are surrendered.

James 1:2-5 (NCV)

My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you.

The word perfect in this passage is also translated as mature in other translations. It doesn’t mean perfect in the usual way we mean. Patience can offer a maturing work as we surrender. Testing in times of trouble is really a testing of our faith. It becomes a type of action through the decisions we make around our behaviour that align with the principles of God’s love.

We need to be proved faithful as followers of Jesus Christ. The only way we can mature, receive wisdom, be patient and enduring, and be made complete is by the testing through life’s troubles, which come to every human being.

Sin is at the core of life's troubles so our testing in faith is always about finding ways to overcome. We do that through surrender to God’s good work in us, and we do that by laying our inclinations and desires down and allowing the fruit of the Spirit to grow instead.

I pray that as we are tested, we will be surrendered and our faith will grow.