CHAPTER 1

2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

FAITH BEING PROBED AND PRODUCING

James doesn’t waste time getting to the point, does he?

Faith is a key word in this book, he outlines this further in Chapter 2 and throughout the book. You say that you have faith, well, where’s the evidence.

In the great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11, the people there had their faith tested, Abraham in Genesis 22, Moses by the children of Israel and many others.

All trials and tests we go through are to make our faith real, they are not meant to destroy it, they are meant to strengthen it, that is why James can tell us to count it all joy, in modern terms, to count, every trial as a blessing.

God knows every trial we go through, he is sovereign over every trial and is in control of every situation, he is with us, indeed one of the reasons, we can count it all joy, is because our Lord is with us through that trial.

The more trials we go through, the stronger we become, the first ones hurt, we wonder why, but as we stand against these, we are able to move on and to become steadfast and strong, it is like exercising a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

Trials and tests are God’s training ground, they are God’s proving ground for his children, we go through them, because we are his sons and daughters and not bastards. Hebrews 12 and Romans 8.

Remember, we can count it all joy, because they are true evidences of our faith, they mature and grow us and because finally, they prove that we are His.

God bless you

KK