HealthyLivingOPSomewhere In, Tennessee USA4,775 posts
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." - James 1:2-4
It's highly doubtful that the Rolling Stones ever intended to teach a biblical principle in their song lyrics, "You can’t always get what you want but . . . you get what you need," but that's what James 1:2-4 tells us that God gives us in our trials. He gives us what we need.
Here's the context: "Count it all joy . . . when you fall into various trials . . . And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
One of the great pains of life is that things are not always the way we want them to be. But get this, God makes sure that everything we need we have. Everything we want we do not have. When we say that God is working everything out for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28), that doesn't mean that we're going to have everything we want. As James 1:4 says, our steadfastness (our endurance) leads to us being "perfect," "complete," and "lacking in nothing." What great terms!
Perfect — we will have all the character we need to honor God.
Complete - we will have all the relationships we need to nourish and sustain us.
Lacking in nothing — we will miss out on nothing that would give us 100% satisfaction in God.
If I am perfect and complete, lacking in nothing - then I have everything I need to do everything God wants me to do. I can show the world the superiority of the life lived in God.
Every trial I face is allowed by God for my ultimate good. In part, that good includes my ability to discern the difference between needs and wants. Today if I endure, God promises to give me what I need. Tomorrow, in heaven, He promises to give me everything I could ever want and more.
Be thankful and content. You have everything you need, to do everything that God wants you to do.
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It's highly doubtful that the Rolling Stones ever intended to teach a biblical principle in their song lyrics, "You can’t always get what you want but . . . you get what you need," but that's what James 1:2-4 tells us that God gives us in our trials. He gives us what we need.
Here's the context: "Count it all joy . . . when you fall into various trials . . . And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
One of the great pains of life is that things are not always the way we want them to be. But get this, God makes sure that everything we need we have. Everything we want we do not have. When we say that God is working everything out for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28), that doesn't mean that we're going to have everything we want. As James 1:4 says, our steadfastness (our endurance) leads to us being "perfect," "complete," and "lacking in nothing." What great terms!
Perfect — we will have all the character we need to honor God.
Complete - we will have all the relationships we need to nourish and sustain us.
Lacking in nothing — we will miss out on nothing that would give us 100% satisfaction in God.
If I am perfect and complete, lacking in nothing - then I have everything I need to do everything God wants me to do. I can show the world the superiority of the life lived in God.
Every trial I face is allowed by God for my ultimate good. In part, that good includes my ability to discern the difference between needs and wants. Today if I endure, God promises to give me what I need. Tomorrow, in heaven, He promises to give me everything I could ever want and more.
Be thankful and content. You have everything you need, to do everything that God wants you to do.
James MacDonald