Dashrath Manjhi was a young man born into the lowest caste in India. No chance for change. He had to walk three miles to work every day - over a mountain! It was that or walk thirty-five miles around the mountain.
One day that all changed. His young, pregnant wife was walking over that mountain to bring Dashrath food and water. She slipped and later died. Medical care was only available thirty-five miles from his village.
Dashrath set out to change this. Selling his goat, he bought a hammer and a chisel. That’s when he began making crossing the mountain pass easier. It took him two decades. Yes, decades. What patience!
The apostle Paul wrote a pattern for Christian growth. Growth requires patience and pain. Think you can do it? Here’s what Paul said that it takes to grow as a Christian:
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)
This all requires the sincere commitment to the living God. So how does this work? Here are examples.
The people of Warsaw, Poland, were suddenly, without warning, overcome by the infiltration of their city by the Nazis. A later infiltration occurred in Paris, France, as the Nazi army rolled in on them.
Imagine being a citizen of those cities. You are now a prisoner. You are at the mercy of the enemy. The only personal defense that you have is your faith.
Will you hold up? Is your faith alone able to sustain you? This is how you endure, having faith in the living God to hold you up during tribulation. Once you become a person of faith, you now reveal who you really are.
As you huddle each night with your family, what are you doing? Praying? Encouraging the others? How does your faith in God show?
Proven character is how you show your faith in extremely difficult times. By trusting in God rather than self, you can make it through the struggle. With the Holy Spirit in you (Acts 2:38), you will make it!
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