Endurance and the Crown of Life

James 1:2 says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation [trials]: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” In this passage the Lord reminded me that we need endurance for our trials. Endurance means not giving up. But if something is really hard, I feel like giving up, don’t you? So I must ask God for His strength and endurance, which never runs out.

For each trial I face (sometimes the problem seems like little pesky mosquitoes, and sometimes it feels like a big bear!), God gives me His armor to wear. That’s because when trouble is attacking me, I need protection! When I am wearing God’s helmet of salvation and breastplate of righteousness, and I am holding up the shield of faith, I can last a lot longer in the fight, don’t you think? God also has grace to refresh me so I don’t wear out, and His Holy Spirit to comfort and guide me through the hard places. The wonderful thing is that the Lord goes through the trouble with me, so I am never going through it alone. But I have to believe that He is there, even when it feels like He isn’t.

You see, sometimes the trials seem like a long dark tunnel that I have to go through. But who is waiting at the other end to give me the crown of life? Jesus! Notice that the crown isn’t just a crown of metal and stones, but a crown of life! Remember how Jesus said that He is “the way, the truth, and the life”* (John 14:6)? That means He is our path to eternal life with God. When we listen and obey Him, He shows us what is really true and right. And the kind of life He gives us is full of rest, peace, and joy forever! So really the crown of life that the Lord has promised us is Jesus Himself, who is everything we need!

I am glad the Lord showed me another way to look at my trials. When I remember this I am encouraged to keep pressing on and to not give up. Like the song says, God can help us be “onward, Christian soldiers”*!

—Jeanette, a mom (adapted)