My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing…

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

~ James 1:2-4, 12-17

Count it all joy, huh, to fall into trials and be tempted? OK…

Let me get this straight. I am tempted when I am drawn away by my desires and enticed. Temptation is not from God. When my desire has “conceived”, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when full-grown, brings forth death. But to “conceive” in this way is to fail the test of faith — i.e. to give in. To succeed in the test of faith means to withstand and not give in to temptation, to not give birth to sin. Testing produces patience — through Christ our Lord, who delivers from evil? (Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil?) I am to let patience have its perfect work, that I may lack nothing. Patience is from God and is a good gift and a perfect gift. To endure temptation (without sinning) brings blessing and a crown of life, which is promised to those who love the Lord. It is to become a kind of firstfruit of God’s creatures.

Ah, but how hard it is. For me, temptation inevitably, it seems, brings fall of one kind or another. (Or maybe that is a lack of faith, that “inevitably”?)

We fall down, we get up. We fall down, we get up. I guess that breeds patience, all right. If I can take it. (sigh)