The book of James says something that sounds almost irresponsible at first: “Whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy” Wow! He didn't say after the trial. Not once it all makes sense. But when you’re in the thick of it.
I don't imagine most people struggle with faith when things are easy. It's when faith gets tested that things begin to get shaky. It's when there remain unanswered prayers, slow healing, or seasons when things just don't seem to work out at all. James doesn’t deny the pain of those moments. But there is necessary reframing to better understand how we walk through them.
What if we think of trials not as interruptions to God’s work? After all, the Lord is not overwhelmed by pressing matters. So, how does seeing our trials as part of the means of God's work change our perspective?
James reminds us that testing produces perseverance, and perseverance is shaping something deeper than our comfort. He is pointing us to our maturity. Quick relief is good, but isn't wholeness in the long run better? There are times when the answers come quickly. Praise God for that. Most times, though, we see that God is slowly forming resilient people who can carry hope and speak truth without losing love.
That means what you’re walking through right now may not feel meaningful yet. It may feel exhausting, unfair, or unending. But Scripture insists that God is not wasting this season. What feels like strain today is quietly becoming strength. What feels like confusion now will one day become more clear, not just for you, but for others who need to know they’re not alone as well.
Joy, then, is not pretending it doesn’t hurt. Joy is trusting that God is still at work even if it does.
And one day, you’ll look back and realize that the very thing you thought might break you became the place where God proved faithful.
Stay blessed...john | 
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