Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 NKJV

I have read that sacred cows are worshipped in India. Many will not eat a cow—but they worship them—notwithstanding widespread hunger and poverty. Likewise, some people worship the Bible. They won’t believe it or act on it; they just worship it. When trials, tribulations, troubles and problems come, for far too many, their troubles have become a sacred cow, because they erroneously believe that these problems somehow perfect them.

In the text above, Jesus taught the multitudes to be perfect, i.e., fully developed. While we live here on planet earth, since we retain the old nature, we are not perfect as God is perfect—that is, sinless perfection, but we can be both fully formed spiritually and spiritually fully developed on the path to Heaven.

Perfection is the offspring of patience, and patience is a fruit of the Spirit that preceded by love, joy, and peace (Gal. 5:22). According to Apostle James, the path of perfection begins with joy (Jas. 1:2-4). James didn’t say count it all joy when you walk or jump into a trial. In fact, Jesus taught us to avoid these kinds of situations (Matt. 6:13). When you fall, don’t get upset. Just know that the pressures of life are being used to produce patience, and patience puts you on the path of perfection.

The Apostle Paul told the Roman Christians to glory in tribulations because tribulations work patience (Rom. 5:3).  You can come out a tribulation perfect, not because of the trial but because you allowed patience to have her perfect work. James didn’t say that the trying of your faith makes you perfect. The trying of your faith is a call for patience, and patience sets you on the path of perfection.

It is patience that produces a perfect work in our lives. Patience is enduring affliction without anger or complaint. It is not waiting for something to happen, but it is enduring what is happening (Matt. 10:22). Patience comes in to undergird your faith when all hell breaks loose. Patience reinforces your faith like pier under a bridge. The trying of your faith doesn’t prefect faith, but it put your patience on the path of perfection.