Plea For Perseverance

To list all the ways today's poem was inspired, is difficult to encapsulate...But it is a corralling of wonder wakened while pondering &&2By the showering of love, of sympathy,from so many caring people, of comfort and encouragement shared from God's Word,By devotions penned for such a time as this... By the indescribable joy in sorrow through the Presence of peace God has promised if/as we trust Him,through both the physical and spiritual storms and battles of faith/life! Let me not balk against faith’s test that I would never chooseLet me not fear what God deems best, nor His request refuseBehold faith’s cloud of witnesses still surrounds you and meThe riches of God’s promises worth every wait-and-see Let me not wallow in the why that tries the ties of loveBut rather winnow my reply till worship is enoughAs faith is drawn from shallows to the deeps of grief and lossLet me be wholly hallowed by the power of the cross Though the threshing fork pains me, may it drive away the chaffTill only God sustains me, as I lean upon hope’s staffFor he who suffered in my stead, the uttermost of GriefWill accomplish all He has said; ‘Lord, help mine unbelief’ For you have borne the bitter blows that prove who we most loveYou grant the test faith undergoes to expose lack thereofThen, help me not to falter beneath full surrender’s priceBut let love be an altar laid with living sacrifice Willing to suffer present loss for joy waiting to beCounting it joy to bear the cross to faith’s maturityObedient, till Death’s Last Strife, that draws ajar the DoorThat leads to everlasting life and joy forevermore © Janet Martin James 1:2-4Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.