“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
I have these verses taped to my bathroom mirror and have had for over a year. I’ve always thought that James was a little bit crazy for writing this. “Pure joy” is facing trials of many kinds?! The man must have been certifiably insane. Seriously, the ridiculousness of the suggestion is astounding. Who has joy in the face of trials? It’s not reasonable.
I think it’s easy to misinterpret this verse as a call to deny reality. When problems come, we should rejoice instead of despair because we know that God will use the situation for our good. So be happy that your husband cheated on you! Celebrate your diagnosis of a chronic disease!
Uhh…no thanks. If that’s what these verses mean, count me out.
After my husband’s arrest, I glared at these verses on my mirror. I remember thinking that I would never thank God for what had happened. I could go along with it (I didn’t have much choice, after all), I could trust him to bring good out of it, I could agree with my head if not my heart that God knows best, but I would never rejoice in it. Never.
Months passed, and I found myself one day saying “Thank you.” I was surprised. Was I really thanking God for what happened? I clarified that I was thanking God for the good he has already brought about, but not for allowing my husband to be arrested. But I was more aware of the changes in my heart. I realized I was no longer glaring when I looked at the verses on the mirror.
I have since reached a place where I do thank God for the arrest itself. I am thankful to him for doing what I could never have done. I still wish there had been another way, a way that would not have caused so many innocent people so much pain, but I don’t know what they way would have been. After just a few months, I can honestly say that I am glad my husband was arrested.
I still don’t consider what happened “pure joy,” and I don’t think I ever will. But the rest of the passage has come to life for me in amazing ways. I have grown and matured so much in the past few months. I have learned so much and have an increased awareness of and sensitivity to spiritual issues around me. By no means do I consider myself “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I don’t think that will ever happen. But I’m on my way that direction, and I like it - despite the pain and trauma that jumpstarted the process.
Why can’t we jump to the maturity and completeness without the perseverance? I long to keep growing the way I have been, but I dread the future “trials of many kinds” that might get me there. I want the growth, but I don’t want the pain. Why does it have to be a package deal?
I know that my character is so much more important to God than my circumstances. There are times when I say, “God, I want to be mature. I want to be complete. Please use my circumstances to refine my character.” And then I realize that I’m basically asking for more pain and trials of many kinds…and I adjust my prayer a bit. “Wait, I didn’t really mean that…”
I’m not quite ready to say, “Bring it on.” I don’t really want more challenging circumstances in my life. But I do want the maturity and wisdom that such circumstances can bring. And I know that rejoicing in trials does not mean there is no pain – the joy does not replace the pain but instead exists beside it - joy and pain linked together in an inexplicable conundrum. I still don’t understand why God chooses to use tragedy as the training ground for maturity, but I am now able to truly rejoice about the growth I have experienced as a result of the tragedy in my life.
