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

One of my favorite things about the Book of James is that James didn’t mince words. He was a straight shooter, to the point, and while I love to chase a good story around the bend and down a rabbit hole as much as the next Appalachian gal, when it comes to matters of the heart I appreciate folks who are forthright and transparent in their words and actions.

James was definitely both.

Often, we may read James 1:2 and think, “Consider trials a pure joy? James, brother, that seems a bit over the top.”.

After all, we spend most of our lives avoiding things that are challenging or that try our patience or endurance. Why do you think so many companies make power tools and automated machines?

We call it efficiency, but in reality we just want everything done faster and easier so that we can move on to the next thing we want to do. Am I right, or am I right?

When trials enter our lives, our first reaction is often to feel scared or frustrated or confused. In times of trial, we may read James 1:2 and think, “I see no joy in this trial. James, brother, you’ve lost your mind.”

BUT God – endless in wisdom and full of grace – God inspired James to write hard truths just as much as He inspired David to compose beautiful psalms.

You see, God knows exactly who we are and how we’re wired. He crafted our “zone of proximal development” long, long, long before researchers like Vygotsky ever started to study the concept of personal growth. God designed us and so He knows we must be challenged in order to grow. He also knows that if the challenge is too great, or comes too soon, we’ll be frustrated and not grow (read about why the Israelites didn’t take a straight shot from Egypt to the Promised Land) and if the challenge is too small, we’ll breeze through it and not learn a thing.

Seedlings push against the sides of the seed and through the soil in their quest for the light. Butterflies struggle against the cocoon to gain the strength to fly once free.

Sweet friend, trying times don’t have to be frustrating times, but they most certainly can be growing times. If we finish James’ thought by reading verses 3 and 4, we see that James refers to growth through perseverance. Long before Vygotsky, James understood the concept of the zone of proximal development and long before Dweck made the term popular, James had a growth mindset.

Whatever today holds, remember to find joy in the struggle. Learn something new. Look at a trial from a new angle. Search for blessings where you have seen burdens. And above all else, remember, God is in control and He is good.