Each of us is accountable and responsible for our personal growth and maturity. Though it is important to receive instruction in our areas of weakness, we must not perpetually look to others to determine our state. At some point we are to minister to others with the calling we have been given by FATHER and to become a blessing ourselves. To grow we must endure trials and testings and those of us who have been on this path longer can provide assurance that those trials will pass at some point and you will be stronger as a result. James wrote by THE SPIRIT in the first chapter of his epistle:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
We must acknowledge that we can become perfect and complete in order to attain perfection in our walk. If we belittle ourselves and listen to others who would attempt to disparage us, we will lose sight of this goal of perfection. It is important for each of us to realize that FATHER would not urge us to attain perfection if it were not possible and reasonable to expect it. Thus we should be mindful and pursue it.
There are two aspects of “lacking nothing”. First, FATHER will provide you everything you need and second, as you mature in Christ you will find that you need less than you thought for the world’s trappings are no longer important. There is a balance in walking in HIS provision. You should only have what you can truly Love and no more. How many of us have things that once obtained are no longer of value to us? The ego has an extreme thirst for “things”, acknowledgment, and position usually at the expense of others.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
I can assure you that if you walk in wisdom, it will serve you well in achieving the balance of having all your needs met. Your decisions will dramatically improve and your resources will become more effective in their purpose. You will walk without anything weighing you down and you will take no thought for tomorrow but embrace what is in front of you today. You will let the past go and no longer dwell on those past mistakes and apparent failures that were actually meant to mature you rather than oppress you.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
We need to simply accept FATHER’S Word. That seems simple but men would try to complicated HIS Word and change its intent by adding or subtracting to it. If FATHER says HE will give you wisdom then simply expect it as a child who is quick to believe without hesitation. Quit complicating the simple Truth. We must expect FATHER to perform HIS Word in our lives and stop making excuses. We must repent of our past unbelief and move on. FATHER does not dangle a carrot in front of us, keeping it just beyond our grasp. We must settle it once and for all in our minds that FATHER is our Provider in all areas without exception. We must doubt not! James warns us if we don’t:
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
HE is our rock, unmovable, and we are to become like HIM in the same manner. As we do we become stable, others will see our stability in times of trials and will be drawn to the light we project. My goal for those who read this blog is that we all come into the fullness of the perfection FATHER has promised. If we do, then the collapsing world around us will not impact us but we will instead impact it.
In order to reach perfection we must fully embrace the revelation of Love in our lives. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus spoke:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?”
Most of us have focused our Love for THE FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT however Jesus made it clear that we must move to the horizontal plane and also focus our Love for mankind. This is a sign of maturity moving toward perfection. We must Love our enemies and as we do we will become perfect and complete. Our opinion about our enemy will cease and FATHER’S Spirit will guide our speech toward life. If words of judgment are to be spoken it will be by THE SPIRIT rather than by our flesh. As we overcome the challenge of Loving our enemies or anyone we might be at odds with, Jesus discloses our reward:
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Embrace this Truth: “as HE is so are we”.