James 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  In the prior verses we read…  count it all joy when you fall onto divers temptations… how is that possible?  When we realize that God is developing us even in the midst of the trials
of life, we can count it all joy!  The trying of our faith worketh patience.  A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!  When we read our Bible there are may examples in scripture of those whose faith was tried.
Joseph is a prime example.  Even in the prison, after being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, it was evident that the Lord was with Joseph.  Patience was producing a perfect work, preparing Joseph for the palace!  Moses was in the desert for fourty years.  Think of it, the trials, the temptations,  and yet patience was producing a perfect work, preparing Moses to lead the children of Israel.  Then there is Paul and Silas,  beaten,  bruised, and bleeding in the innermost prison.  It was patience producing a perfect work that caused them to pray and praise God at midnight!   The Bible tells us “And the prisoners heard them!”  What do those around us hear when our faith is  being tested?  If we would only realize that these trials are for our benefit,  and perfecting patience in our lives, we too would count it all joy!  He’s still working on me… what about you?  Our Lord is never working to destroy us, but rather to develop us.  Let patience have her perfect work!  Amen.  Pastor