It's Worth It

“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.”
James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

James is writing to the believers scattered throughout the nations as a result of persecution that broke out against the church. Right after his greeting, he tells them to “consider it pure joy when they face trials of many kinds.” What a way to start a letter! I can imagine the shock on some of their faces as this letter was read to them. Joy in trials? That just doesn’t make sense to us.

James goes on, however, to explain the positive results when we go through testing of our faith. Faith that is forged in the fires of trials goes on to produce perseverance, followed by maturity. God uses trials to grow our faith in a way that nothing else quite can.

When I think about the kind of woman I want to be in the future, I want to have a maturity in the Lord that reflects a faith that believes God at His Word, without doubt. I want there to be a light inside of me that shines out bright because I’ve spent time with Jesus, and it shows. That kind of maturity comes from what God produces in us through trials.

What kind of woman do you want to be, dear one? If you’re facing a trial right now, take heart. The time spent through the testing of your faith is worth it. When the next trial comes you may notice a difference in your response because of the growth in maturity and patient endurance that has developed. God is at work, even if you don’t see it yet.