This was my mother’s iron fryin’ pan (skillet). It is older than me (78). It is obvious it has been used to cook countless meals. Mary & I treasure this keepsake. But unlike many keepsakes that are kept on a shelf, this is “the” skillet we use. It has several unique characteristics.

• It is heavy & was made to last.
• The outside of the skillet has a black crust bark like surface. “The crusty black material on the outside of an old iron skillet is primarily carbonized oil and food particles, a result of the seasoning process and cooking.” (Google) I understand it to mean, the black crust is from the grease mother used, when I was a child, which has now worked its way through the iron. Some people might find the exterior to be offensive. I see the crusty black bark as a legacy of meals enjoyed with family & friends.
• The inside surface is smooth & non-stick because it was seasoned years ago and carefully cleaned. The surface of the iron skillet has no artificial covering, just oil/grease that has been baked into the iron. The more you use it (frying) the better it gets. I clean ours with dish soap, rinse, dry well with a cloth and always re-oil the inside surface.

Every strong follower of Christ I have known has been like mother’s iron frying pan…well-seasoned. They have allowed time, the oil of the Spirit and the heat of life’s challenges to create a non-stick heart surface that repels troubles. Their lives reveal the scars of life like the crusty bark of mother’s skillet. No matter the trouble, they found a way to Glorify Christ. He was their purpose & source of strength.

I believe this is what James is teaching us. “Consider 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. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” James 1:2-8

It is accepting His Power-Promise from John 10:28 as a life focus, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Only Jesus can give us the power & ability to withstand the fire & heat of life. The message of the Bible is clear; there is no other way except a “No-Matter-What” trust in Jesus.

Every person gets a choice. Face your troubles with the world’s temporary & failed solutions that will lead to anxiety, despair and death or turn to God’s Word and “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8