Do you want to make an eternal impact on your world? What about doing something great for the kingdom? Or possibly make a difference for Christ?

There is one thing that every hero in the Bible and pretty much throughout history shares. Name the hero: Abraham, Moses, David, the O.T. prophets, Peter, Paul and even Jesus have it in common. It’s not the gift of leadership, preaching, or teaching. Each of these heroes endured trials, tests, and suffering. All of them except one, guess who, endured the discipline of our Heavenly Father.

In the introduction of his letter, James admonishes us to endure trials and tests of various kinds. Paul instructs a young Timothy to flee temptation.

It will also serve us well to know temptation does not come from God, but from our own selfish desires. Trials and tests sometimes have God as the author, but not always. The one thing that is always true is that God can use them to accomplish good things for us, if we stay in and endure.

What happens when we get this right and endure the test and flee the temptation? James tells us our endurance grows, maturity develops, and we are equipped to be able to do those things God has planned for us before we ever breathed a breath