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 biblical teachings. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). As far as it depends on you be at peace with all people (Romans 12:18). Don't judge others for their sin when you refuse to see your own (Matthew 7:3).

Consider 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 produce this fruit on our own but we will be tested by them. If we think we can produce it in our own strength we will be quickly toppled off that perch. God knows we cannot attain His standard of living on our own. He knows we cannot overcome sin on our own. He means for us to receive and come to know the Holy Spirit, who is at work in us, who can produce this beauty for us.

What can we do on our own? We can only make 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 criticised someone behind their back when we've been disgruntled? Don't we know the damage when someone has done that to us?

Despite our inclinations to respond in certain ways that don’t glorify God, if we are surrendered to God’s will, He will show us how we should respond. If we are surrendered we will respond in a way that pleases God and causes us to grow.

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 of having no imperfections. 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 testing through life’s troubles, which come to every human being, and being found faithful.

Sin is at the core of life's troubles, so the testing of our faith always allows us to find 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 Holy Spirit to grow instead.

I pray that as we are tested, we will be fully surrendered, giving our faith a chance to grow.