“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers [various] temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4).
James is telling us here to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials, realizing that the testing of our faith produces endurance, with the result that we might be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. We can learn several things about trials from these verses.
1. Christians are not exempt from trials.
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard something like this from others, even from some preachers: “When you become a believer in Christ, all your problems and worries are a thing of the past. You can just trust Christ and soar like an eagle toward heaven!” Right! The difficulty I have with that is that trials are the rule, not the exception. Notice that James did not say, “If you fall into various trials,” but “when.” Jesus Himself said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation…” (John 16:33b). The apostle Peter wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (I Peter 4:12). Have you ever been there? Not just trials, but what Peter referred to as “fiery trials.” When it comes to trials, none of us get a free pass.
2. Trials come in various shapes and sizes.
Peter also wrote these words: “…ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations” [many-colored trials] (I Peter 1:6b). Trials may be spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, or financial in nature. They may suddenly seize upon you, or be long and drawn out, like a lingering illness or a prolonged legal case. They may be public or private, light or severe, related to something you did or what someone else did, or for seemingly no reason at all. They can come at any time of day or night, and at any season of the year. Remember, James called them “divers [various] temptations.”
3. Trials are a test of our faith.
No matter the cause or source of our trials or how slight or severe they may be, there is something about tribulation that simplifies life and brings us back to the basics. They draw us back to the foundation of our faith and what we really believe about God and His Word. For me, I am reminded of the fact that God is sovereign. He doesn’t do anything “willy-nilly,” as the old saying goes. God has a plan and a purpose (see Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28, for example). In the face of adversity, I always come back to the fact that God is too good to do wrong and too wise to make a mistake. When we go through the Refiner’s fire, His goal is to purify our faith and trust in Him (see I Peter 1:7). All of this leads to my last point…
4. Without trials, we would never reach maturity.
James said that we encounter various trials so that we “may be perfect [mature] and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:4b). None of us enjoy going through trials; however, they help us to grow and mature so that we can become more like Christ (see I Peter 2:21). We would just as soon have our trials cut short or done away with entirely, but God uses those things to show us our need of Him. The words of song writer Andre Crouch come to mind: “For if I’d never had a problem, I’d never know that He could solve them. I’d never know what faith in God could do.” (Andre Crouch, “Through It All,” copyright 1971, by Manna Music Inc., Pacific, OR).
When trials come, do not lose heart! Know that God loves you and has a plan and a purpose for your life. Don’t listen to the whispering of the devil that God has forgotten you. Quite the opposite; He is molding you into a vessel of honor for His glory. Take refuge in Him (Psalm 46:1)!