NKJV, James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
ESV, James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
CEV, James 1:12 – “God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your Faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.”
There will always come a time in the life of a Faithful Christian when he/she will think of giving up on the Christian Faith, or on some Promise God has made to him/her. When the troubles and trials of life rise to their peak, we are sometimes left with one simple question, “Where is God amidst my suffering?”.
Beloved, Apostle James has a message for you and I. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
From this statement, we can deduce some important truths. Firstly, those who love God will definitely be put to various tests and trials. Secondly, God has made a promise to every one of us who love Him. And lastly, that promise is actually the crown of life. To prove our love and to stand the test, we need to remain steadfast.
Beloved, to be steadfast simply means to be constant and firmly loyal to God, and your Christian Faith. No matter the disappointments, the pains, emotional frustrations, and losses we may experience in life, we are being encouraged to maintain our loyalty to God even to the point of death. When we do that, we will receive that glorious Heavenly crown of life, a symbol of authority and abundance of life with inherent Divine wealth.
The Holy Spirit is speaking to us today; remain steadfast. He will deliver you from every suffering and trauma you are experiencing. Just hold fast your confession and remain steadfast. God will Crown you with joy and life eternal. Amen.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, please continue to strengthen us with Your Grace especially in times that we are going through trials, that we will remain STEADFAST to the very end. Deliver us LORD and make our joy complete by blessing us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
QUESTION FOR MEDITATION
What practical steps can I take to remain STEADFAST in the LORD?
