Steadfast

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”  ~James 1:12

Steadfastness is the ability to hold your ground when most would give way, give in, or give up. While it is a necessary grace for all Christians, it is one men especially need to cultivate. To develop this grace, we need to put down roots of character in several key areas.

Impulse control: To remain steadfast under pressure, we must reject the path of least resistance. This path is perennially available to the harried soul and is usually the most trodden on the way out of Dodge, but it seldom, if ever, leads in the direction of duty. To develop impulse control, we need another grace.

Emotional Resilience: Under pressure, the moment steadfastness comes into its own can be a turbulent spot for the soul. Pressure almost inevitably breeds fear, anxiety, frustration, and impatience, none of which arc toward steadfastness. To stand steadfast, therefore, we must learn to manage such internal storms by taking our emotions in hand and dragging them to the law and the gospel. Gospel promises have the unique ability to calm the soul, while the law provides guardrails to channel our emotions, giving them both focus and direction. 

Mental Focus: Building on that, a steadfast Christian must keep the end firmly in mind. He cannot afford distraction to divert his focus onto secondary matters. He must allow nothing to impede his pursuit of duty.

Spiritual Courage: The steadfast man must be able to keep his footing under fire, injustice, insults, slander, wounds, and rejection. Such experiences are never pleasant and always cause pain, but we must not allow pain or the threat of pain to move us off the field of duty. 

While the steadfast life is arduous, its rewards are worth it. Remember, those who remain steadfast under trial will receive the “crown of life” that God promises to those who love Him (James 1:12). This is the real test of steadfastness, and life’s pressure always reveals it: Who do we love most of all – God or ourselves? To grow our capacity of steadfastness, therefore, what we really need more than anything else is to grow in our love for God. For that to happen, we must first grow in our knowledge of just how much God loves us. And that’s a lesson we learn first and best at the foot of the cross. If Christ was willing to endure the conflagration of hell for my poor sake, what worldly blaze should I not be willing to endure for Him?

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to the steadfast love of Jesus Christ. Grant that I will stand true, constrained by His great love for me. Whatever I face today, help me flee sinful impulses and emotions, maintain my mental focus, show true courage, and stand firm, come what may. In every trial, keep me anchored to the promise that if I stand firm, I will receive the crown of life. And help me to love You more than anyone or anything else, even myself. In Jesus’ name, Amen!