Endurance of a Warrior

"Count it joy my brethern when you encounter various trials for the testing of your faith builds endurance, and let endurance have its perfect reward, so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4 NAS)
I'm getting a real dose of trials this week. The devil is throwing everything at me now that we're hosting "An Evening of Prayer for Ramona." on Saturday, Sept. 4th. I thought about trials this weekend and why we have to go through them. But before I started wondering about them, I considered the trials of other people. People in Afganistan who are being marytered for their faith. People in Israel who are being bombed in their homes without notice. Children in Africa who see their parents raped and killed before their very eyes. Horrific by simple comparison. I look at my trials and they pale in comparison. I am blessed and must rely on the Lord to see me through, but I don't have it that tough. Others have it much tougher. I need to take my eyes off myself and look at others and then consider, what are am I doing to help them?
After you examine some of the conditions that people around the globe are subject to, then you can look at your trials and consider what God is doing to you through them.
He's building His endtime army and He wants us holy and pure. He's getting the dross out of us. Examine your heart. Confess your sin and lift up your eyes. It's not about you, its about His kingdom. Shadrach, Mechach and Abindago didn't know if God would deliver them. They saw the soldiers die as they were thrown into the fire. The book of Hebrews tells of many who didn't see the promises. Again, keep your eyes on Jesus in the midst of the storm. He will deliver you. He won't leave you. He'll be in the midst of the fire with His Purpose and His blessing for you. Hang on with all you've got. Endure the storms of life and when you come out of them, you'll be a better person, able to serve the Lord and others with a greater sense of humility. Endure the trials so that you can be perfect and complete lacking in nothing!