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"Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 (HCSB)
Consider your trial to be a great joy. That's the opposite of what I want to do. Yet Scripture tells us that's what we are supposed to do when we face trials.
Why?
As we learned yesterday, God uses all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). James 1:2-4 tells us that God specifically uses the hard seasons to test our faith, give us endurance, and make us mature. When we walk through difficult seasons in our lives, we can know that God will use them to make us more like Jesus! And, that, my friend, is the goal of the Christian life—to become more like our Savior!
I don't know what pain or sorrow you're facing right now, but I do know that God is good, and He is faithful to keep His promises. Will you lay your troubles at His feet and ask Him to make sure they don't go to waste? Will you ask Him to use them to transform you and make you more like Jesus?
Faithful Father, this life is so hard sometimes. The trials that I go through can seem too much to bear. But I know that You are good and faithful to keep Your promises. So, today, I lay this burden at Your feet and ask You to help me have faith and help me endure. Please don't let this pain go to waste; use this trial to make me more like Jesus. I trust in You. In Jesus' name, amen.