Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything... Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. -James 1:2-3, 12 (NIV)
I spent the weekend in Oxford, Mississippi at Ole Miss Football Fantasy Camp. It's a weekend designed for die-hard Ole Miss fans to get a behind-the-scenes look at our football program. We learn about the recruiting process, we're taught some of the offensive and defensive plays, and then we divide up into teams and play each other in a game of tag football. It's an incredible weekend and I had so much fun.
As many of you know, we have a new coaching staff at Ole Miss this year. They've inherited a mess with the Rebels having only won six games in the last two years combined. But what impressed me about our new coaching staff is that they didn't spend a lot of time moaning and groaning about how bad things have gotten or what they inherited. Instead, they said that the trials facing Ole Miss football are what is going to make the restoration of the program that much more gratifying. They're convinced that they can persevere through the present circumstances and that their perseverance will ultimately pay off with a SEC crown.
In the suggested scripture readings for today, James encourages the Christian to face trials in much the same way as our Ole Miss football coaches are approaching them. Trials produce perseverance (the ability to strive for something despite facing difficulties, failures, and/or opposition). Perseverance leads to growth. And if you can endure trials and grow spiritually and personally from them, blessings will follow and so will the crown of victory.
You may think I'm crazy for believing that Ole Miss will one day compete with the Elephants, Tigers, and Gators of the SEC. You may think I'm crazy for believing that good things come out of trials like cancer and divorce. But I'm not crazy. I just have faith. I've seen it happen before and with the right approach to trials, it can happen again.
May God grant you the grace to persevere through whatever trials you're facing. And may you be someday soon be rewarded with a crown of victory...whether it be on the football field or in the much more important arena of faith and life.
If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, read Isaiah 32-25 and James 2 for tomorrow.
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