Can you believe God is letting us go through this? Trials reveal something about our faith. The theological virus of health, wealth and success has infiltrated the western church. For years we have heard the steady drumbeat of preachers who say, “God always wants you to succeed, to be healthy and wealthy.” This popular false teaching has eroded our biblical theology of suffering.
James wrote his letter early in the first century to believers who had been scattered by persecution and suffering in Jerusalem. Not for an instant does James say, “If God loves you and you love God nothing bad will ever happen to you.” No. “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.” James had been there in Acts 4 and 5 when Peter and John returned from their first persecution and thanked God for counting them worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus. Paul, too, later told the Colossians, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings . . .” (Col 1:24).
The testing of our faith produces perseverance. Each successive challenge in our lives prepares us for another challenge later in life. We might want to short-circuit perseverance and get out of the problems. But only when perseverance finishes its work in us will we become spiritually mature. Like his big brother Jesus, James teaches us through a beatitude: “Blessed is the one who perseveres and stands the test . . .” What blessing may we anticipate if we persevere? God will give us the crown of life. How do we know? He has promised that crown to all who love him.
Once again Paul agrees with James’s words. Paul invited the Romans to love Jesus enough to become like him (Romans 8:28-30). Peter concurs: Jesus suffered in this life, not to prevent us from ever suffering but to show us the way to suffer so that we might follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21). Let’s rejoice today in our suffering. In this difficult season, God is working, producing something really good in us as we stay in the struggle.
