The Road to Maturity

Let patience finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:4

We all hate to suffer and go through trouble and difficult times in this life, but Jesus prepared us for these times by telling us that He would send us the Comforter.  Trials and hard places and times in life are necessary to mature us on our spiritual journey if we stay focused on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.  Troubles and hard times put spiritual muscles on our faith if we understand that's it's a teaching experience.

We learn something from every trial, but the greatest principle we should learn is that God goes through the trial with us. If God said it to you, He will perform it.  Stay focused and faithful to Him because He is faithful to His promises concerning you.  

Jesus is the author of our faith, which means that He writes the story of our lives in the beginning, as an author writes a book.  The author pens how the story will end, no matter what has to transpire within the pages of the book.  So it is with God.  He direct our lives from the beginning and He perfects us in the process through trials which causes us to attain the victory in the end.  He matures us in the hard times.  

We often think that we are self made people until trouble hit our lives that we can't control.  God admonishes us to look to Him in these hard times for strength that will eventually lead to understanding.  At this point the book of our life is almost finished as we realize that we couldn't have done it without Him.   We begin to say to ourselves that if it hadn't been for the Lord who was on my side, where would I be.  We proclaim to others, how I got over;  the Lord brought me from a mighty long way.  He kept me time, time and time again.  We speak these words from the depths of our soul.  He is the author who allows the trouble, because He has finished the outcome.  I can shout on that one!   He is the author and finisher of our faith.

Lazarus had troubles that caused his death and he was a friend of Jesus, but the Author wasn't through with him because He had one more move to bring victory over death and the grave.  Jesus wrote the last chapter about Lazarus trouble by raising His voice and shouted, "Lazarus, come forth."  The author who was also the finisher, brought a dead man out of his grave; just as He will bring you out of yours.  Your situation may seem grave, but remember, God is bringing the best He has for you forth.  He's calling you to COME FORTH.

Let those dead situations stay dead and you come forth in maturity to finish the book of your life.  Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and His Word to do a complete and beautiful story of courage, faith, strength and perseverance in you.  Here's the best news ever; that Jesus will finish the good work that He started in you and say, "well done, my good and faithful servant."   Hallelujah!  Be exceedingly blessed.