“Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. “
James 1:12 (RSV)
Whatever version of the Bible is read, this scripture doesn’t change. It says there is a crown of life for believers who love God and keep their faith during the testing and trials of life. Bible scholars may have different understandings of what the crown implies, whether it’s a literal gold crown or a symbol of eternal happiness in heaven. Whatever it is, they do agree that it means persevering faith in tough times will be rewarded. God’s eye roams the earth, looking for those who love Him and continue trusting in Him during times of adversity. God doesn’t cause suffering, but He promises to be near to those who are going through it. (Psalm 34:18)
Jesus spoke to the thief dying on the cross next to Him, assuring him that he would be in heaven. It proves that the mercy of God is available to anyone, even in those minutes before death. He is near to those in critical care units of hospitals in their last minutes of life. He is near to the one who is in a crisis in the waiting room, whose loved one is in surgery after a major trauma. He is near to the parent whose child lies terminally ill in the pediatric intensive care unit. Wherever a heart is breaking, God is near to that person in a unique and intimate way.
He loves all people with the same unconditional, self giving love, but He also desires a relationship with each one of us. I always wonder what God is trying to say to someone during an intense trial in their life, after witnessing some very sad stories over the years, working in a hospital.
If God were to speak personally to each one, today’s scripture gives us a clue of what He would say.
He would tell them to keep their faith in Him, trust Him with all their heart, and that He is always there.
A crown of life is in store for those who love God and persistently keep their faith in Him. We all need a faith that helps us face intense trials and sorrows head on, not a faith that escapes from it, or tries to explain it away.
Christianity is the only answer for finding perseverance under trials. Eastern religions teach meditation to escape difficult realities, and they believe that bad karma causes the tragedies in life. Only the Christian faith teaches that God loves us and will work all things together for our good. We can find strength in suffering through faith in Christ. Jesus became a man, who suffered and died for us, and there is no human misery that He has not experienced Himself.
Peter, James, John and Paul all wrote something about crowns being given to reward those who are faithful until death.
Today’s scripture can be summed up as follows: Those who love God, trust Him, and those who trust Him, continue to believe and obey even when life gets hard. In the end, persevering faith will be rewarded. We can do all things through Christ, knowing that He first loved us, and works all things together for our good.
Lord, show us how we can love you more, and help us to persevere with enduring faith by uniting ourselves closer to you, through the trials and hardships of life. Amen
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