“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”

Verse 3 notifies us that capacity for tenacity is a result of God’s proving by trials. This verse informs us about the work that tenacity does on us:

1) Perfects us,

2) Completes us and

3) Makes us deficit in nothing.

Perseverance produces clear benefits to those willing to exercise their faith in the face of trials.

But let patience

Genuine faith produces perseverance, and genuine perseverance produces maturity. The believer must be careful not to delimit the full force of the work of patience in his life. He must yield his will to issues revolving around perseverance. It is important not to resist God’s work in our lives. Many of us argue against God’s plan for pain in our lives instead of yielding to it.

have its perfect work,

The perfect work of patience results in three ends: “perfect,” “complete,” and “lack nothing.” This is the full effect of the principle of perseverance working in our lives.

The word “work” indicates that perseverance is not passive but active. A heavy trial should not daunt or defeat us. Instead, perseverance creates the power to cope with the trial. There is nothing static or stationary about it. When we cope with trial with a sense of perseverance, we attain God’s purpose in putting them into our lives.

Principle:

Spiritual maturity comes from perseverance.

Application:

A tested faith produces perseverance, and perseverance produces by-products of maturity. A trial is necessary for our personal development, for it demonstrates to us how genuine our faith is. God has a purpose for each trial we encounter. A diamond needs polishing, and fruit needs pruning.

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him” (Job 13:15).

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).