Trials That Train

James begins with a claim that sounds almost offensive: count it joy when you face trials. He does not say the trials themselves are pleasant, and he does not ask us to pretend. His point is about what they can produce. Testing of faith builds endurance, and endurance, given time, makes a person mature and complete, lacking nothing. Most of us would rather skip straight to the result. But steadiness is grown the way muscle is, through resistance. That is not an excuse to minimize someone else's suffering, and if you are in real distress, seek support from your church or a counselor. Today, think about a difficulty that has been testing you. Ask what this could be teaching you, and choose one small act of endurance, such as keeping a commitment or praying again when you feel like giving up.