3 Challenges for Growth

Scripture
"You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you may not be judged." James 5:8

Observation:
There are three challenges issued in this text; be patient, strengthen your hearts, and do not complain against one another.

Application:
God's encouragement to me through James is that I learn to be patient like a farmer. This creates inside of my mind the picture of my spiritual growth being like growing a garden. It takes daily diligence. It takes time to produce. I have to wait patiently for things to grow. My problem is that I don't want a spiritual garden. I want a holy supermarket. If I have a need, I want to walk in and take something off the shelf that solves the problem. Enduring a struggle drives me mad. It frustrates me and can even cause me to doubt God when He is slow to take it away. But this scripture says to just chill out. Allow His time to work. Supermarket food is quick and easy, but it cannot compare to garden food. The same is true with things of the spirit. What God grows in my life over time is much better than any of the quick fixes I might find.

God also encourages me to strengthen my heart. My heart has been weak of late. It is driving me crazy. I have been wrestling with some things that have made me weary. When my heart is emptied or leaking, motivation goes with it. I lose contentment. I lose hope. I lose my drive. I lose my confidence. I lose my ability to stand. So what am I to do with my broken heart? How do I find the leak? I think the primary place I feel needs addressing is my intimacy with God. James 4:7-8 lays out a pretty clear picture of what is going on when I lose my connection with God. "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." I definitely have been struggling with some submission issues. God is calling me to a higher level of purity and commitment. I have wrestled with Him over this long enough. It is time to submit.

The final encouragement of this passage is to not complain against one another. This one is a little tough. People are messed up and they make it easy to find reason to gripe. There is a difference in confronting someone to work out a difference or to point out a weakness. The scriptures constantly remind us of how important this is to do. What I am talking about it grumbling to myself or to another person. I can call it "venting", but most of the time it is nothing more than petty griping that tears another person down and weakens me in the process. I need to stay clear of it.

Prayer:
This mornings journal took me two days to get down. I am grateful that You are so patient with me. I pray that you work in my heart to be patient with myself. I need to continue to allow You the time required to bring about lasting change in my heart. I confess to You my rebellion and how I have resisted change You have been working in my heart to bring. There are things that I have to die to that are hard to give up. I pray that you draw close to me as I draw close to You. Help me find the strength I need to grow in what You ask of me. I pray that You forgive my griping. Teach me to give grace to those who need it, confront the things that need addressing, and stay away from words that profit me nothing. I do not need to vent any more. It leads to nowhere. I just want to be diligent in what you have given me to do. My time in Your Word this morning has really lifted a burden off of my heart. I pray that you pour into me Your strength. Help me today to be the man You have called me to be. I pray that You give me the wisdom I need to lead well.