I like to cook. Actually, I love to cook. There is something so rewarding about making a good meal and sharing the table with family and friends. It is one of the truly great joys of life. I have cooked many meals, but my favorite thing to cook without a doubt is meat. And whether its bacon, a burger, a steak, ribs, chops, or meatloaf, the key to great meat is still the same: time.
The best meat takes time. Whenever you try to rush cooking the meat, you run the risk of overcooking, burning, or rendering it too tough and dry to be fit for use as anything other than a doorstop, let alone for human consumption. Strangely enough, sanctification and godly character require the same sort of patience, the same kind of focused endurance.
Time is often the primary ingredient in sanctification. True, focused prayer and Bible study are also necessary components but there is a definite reason that overseers need to be elders. It is the passage of time, paired with the consistent pursuit of Christ that produces sanctification and growth. This is what James is talking about when he says that we should let steadfastness have its full effect, meaning that only once perseverance has been met with the passage of time will it serve its intended sanctifying purposes (James 1:2-4).
This is one of those truths of life, that the passage of time is one of the primary ingredients in all good growth, be it the flowers of the garden, the braising of a short rib, or the maturation of spiritual character. Let us then strive to remain steadfast over time so as to let perseverance fulfill its work so that we may be drawn closer and closer to God through Christ!
Consider again the words of James: "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits fro the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." (James 5:7-8).
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