> Trials = > Faith

 Yes,  I know the title is not proper math but if you follow my thought process, it might make some sense.

When there have been trials come into my life, I find myself waiting and wishing for things to get back to "normal." However, God's view of trials is much different. 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.." James 1:2

This verse tends to strike us as a pie-in-the-sky, fantasy island kind of an attitude. After all, what does James know about my trials? If he knew, what I have to put up with, this should read more like, "Consider it pure inconvenience/frustration/pain/annoyance whenever you face trials of many kinds."  Right??

Let's take a look at James, the brother of Jesus. 

James was a leader in Jerusalem  He lead the church for 30 years during which the Jesus followers were "a community in crisis." They were persecuted and impoverished. This was the group of people James was in charge of.  I believe he knew a thing or two about trials. Despite all of this, he penned this second verse, the one we really don't want to accept. 

Trials expose the authenticity of our faith. When we face trials, we discover immediately something about our faith. What we truly believe becomes abundantly clear by our responses and reactions. 

"When circumstances deteriorate, artificial, counterfeit and what's-in-it-for-me faith deteriorates right along with it." Max Lucado

The good news is that there can be joy in discovering how real our faith really is. When we face trials, we will discover something about our faith and about God. Trials automatically exercise our faith. 

Faith is not how we get God to do stuff. It isn't a superpower. Faith is the confidence that God will do everything He promised. Faith demonstrates and produces something. 

Perseverance. 

But in order for perseverance to be a benefit, we must allow it to finish its work. We can't leave early or stop believing. The one thing that we want removed may be the one thing God has chosen to use. The tension in our lives may be the epicenter of God's activity. 

Trials are never fun or easy but they do have a purpose. Instead of praying for the trial to end and things to be normal again, what might happen if we prayed for the trial to change us to be more Christ-like? God can use great trials to grow great faith if we change our perspective and surrender to His will.