Perseverance...

Hi everyone!!! I was praying about what to write today and the word that kept coming to mind (ALL DAY~ LOL) was "perseverence". In James 1:4, it reads, "Perseverance must fini****s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." There is always a season in our lives where God is doing something, either physically, or emotionally and spiritually in us or our lives. Is it always easy, NO WAY!! Are there times you want to say, "I quit or I am checking out of this season!", YES, but God's word tells us to keep going, keep moving and DO NOT GIVE UP!!! In Romans 5:3-4, it says ". . . we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." We have to persevere, keep going, in order for us to mature not only as people, but also as Christians. God is trying to develop patience in us so that we will learn to pateintly wait on him!! Afterall, His timing is perfect, and usually its not the same as ours! LOL. Not only do we mature, but we become complete because we have developed character and have hope with Jesus!!!! People can't complete us, the only one who completes us is Jesus!! So as we are persevering or enduring through a situation, we are learning patience, maturity and becoming complete . We are now waiting pateintly on God and have surrendered our whole lives to him!! He is then free to do what he needs to and we aren't busy going on rabit trails, we are staying focused on Him and His will!! AMEN!! In Hebrews 10:35-36, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Whats the end result>>>what God has promised to us!! For example, I have a friend who had received Jesus into her life, soon after, she began to serve in the minstry I was leading. She was married and her husband did not want a relationship with Jesus. She prayed and prayed and endured through some pretty rough spots, but had been encouraged along the way that He was going to be saved!! One night (8 years later), he excepted Jesus into His heart!! She had endured 8 long years!! I remember on many occasions talking and praying with her about this and now it had happened!! She persevered and made it to the end!! Were there times she wanted to quit? Yes, she wanted to throw the towel in several times, things were getting worse, but she didn't, she knew that His salvation was going to happen!! Praise God it did!! They are now both serving in the ministry!! I encourage all of you to not give up or quit!! If God has called you to do something or if He has promised you something, keep persevering, keep enduring, keep pressing on. Because in the end you will receive what He has promised AND you will be more mature in Him and complete in Him!! Praise God!!! I am praying for all of you to be complete in Him!!! God bless and have peaceful day!! Hugs, Lucy