James 1:1-18

Today’s blog is going to be a short one (I know I said I’d continue with the post from last week but I’m writing this at 10 PM and I have to be up at 5 and I’m already so tired). This week I’ve been studying James. Specifically James 1:1-18.

This part of James 1 talks mainly about trials that we face in our lives and what can happen to us because of how we respond to them. One thing that catches me off guard right off the bat is verse 2. In this verse, James says to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” I can honestly say I have never met a trial that I have been joyful about. Every trial in my life that I can remember has produced at least some tears, anger, hopelessness, and potentially LOSS of joy. Yet James says, "wait a minute this is when you’re supposed to be joyful!" Our trials produce steadfastness in us. What’s steadfastness? Webster’s dictionary defines it as “firmly fixed in place, not subject to change, firm in belief, determination or adherence”. Our trials produce in us a firm belief or determination. One time I listened to John Piper (pastor in the evangelical faith) explain it this way. He said to think of your faith as if you were running a race and you just lose sight of why you were running. You stop to look at the flowers or start talking to people on the side of the track and you get distracted. But a person (trial) comes and knocks you over. Suddenly you remember that you are in a race and that you need to finish it. The trial didn’t distract you from the race, it helped you remember what you were doing. It hurt that you got knocked over but in the end, it helped you.

That is how we need to think about our trials. Sure, we probably shouldn’t pray for God to send us through trials (who would) but we should be joyful in the ones we do have and continue to turn to the Lord for strength during them.

Life can sometimes not be chill. I feel that so deeply now with applying to different jobs, wondering about my future, trying to stay on top of classes, and having a healthy balanced life in general. But it's such a wonderful reassurance that through all this it will produce steadfastness in my faith.