Oh James!

I am reading in the book of James right now.  It is probably my least favorite in the New Testament.  It's a great little letter, but it's hard.  It starts off with, "count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."  There is really nothing exciting about trials and testing, even if it does produce patience.  Can't I just have patience without going through the trial?  Ah, no.  It just doesn't work that way!  Thankfully patience isn't even the end result.  Because, honestly, I would rather choose no trials which would lead to no learning patience.  However, there is a blessing in acquiring patience, and that's what I want.  The next verse says, "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."  Wow, that's what I want, to lack nothing.  I know it's not physical stuff that I lack, but what we call the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc.  They don't just happen.  I am purified, refined and made more complete when I go through trials and look to God for everything.  By His grace, our trials are not in vain, but an opportunity for us to grow in completeness.  It's a hard thing, but the end result is worth it.