“…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
knowing
It is not enough to have the right attitude; we must have the right thinking about trials. This Greek word for “knowing” is personal knowing, which comes from our personal experience. James’ readers knew from personal experience that “faith produces patience.”
Principle:
Genuine Christianity necessitates facing ourselves for what we truly are.
Application:
Each one of us must face ourselves. When we do this truthfully, our faith will enable us to persevere through trial. If we know by faith that the trial of our faith produces tenacity, then we will be strong in the trial.
The biblical Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11) and Jesus are our examples to enable us to recognize each situation we face is there to develop “endurance.” We must see that God designs every encounter we face in life as a test of our faith.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [Hebrews 11], let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1).
