James 1:2-4

After his initial greeting, James the brother of Jesus writes in his epistle,

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Do you find it interesting that he talks about trials "of many kinds?" I'm glad he put it that way. Often we in the West forget that many believers suffer serious persecution for their faith, including imprisonment, ostracization, even death. Yet sometimes when we do remember the plights of others we tend to discount our own troubles. Now, to be sure, they pale in comparison and keeping things in proper perspective is to be commended, but our trials, nevertheless, are real. How do you respond to trials in your life? With complaining? Despondancy? Do you withdraw and hide? Or do you rejoice?

What a marvelous thing it is to know that, in Christ, our trials are meaningful! They have a purpose. James elucidates that purpose for us - they develop perseverance and maturity, they help conform us to the image of Christ. For example, often our trials will remind us that we are dependent upon God and not on ourselves, they will remind us that our hope is in Christ rather than in this world, they will cause us to be in circumstances where we will see God act as only He can. So we learn to persevere in Him.

Those who do not embrace a worldview centered on Christ must suffer doubly because, for them, there is no higher purpose or reason for suffering. The universe is a coldly random place, this life is devoid of any real and lasting transcendent meaning. Many Eastern religions hold that to live is to suffer. The best one can hope for is release from the cycle of birth/suffering/death/reincarnation, release from conscoius existence.

In our trials and suffering, no matter what form they take, believers in Christ thus have an opportunity to present a powerful witness of hope to the reality of the Gospel and the God whose purposes cannot be thwarted.