Think back to your childhood. The burdens you carried then were small compared to what you handle now. A child can’t manage the responsibilities of adulthood. But over time, we grow—mentally, emotionally, and physically—so that what once seemed overwhelming becomes manageable.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. God doesn’t leave us where we started. He works in us, increasing our capacity to handle challenges, responsibilities, and trials. And while this process isn’t always easy, it is good.
That’s what James meant when he wrote:
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
—James 1:2-4
Why Trials Are a Gift
Most people don’t think of trials as a blessing. Trials are painful. Stressful. Frustrating. They challenge our faith, push us to the brink, and sometimes make us question if we can even go on.
But James tells us to count it all joy when we face them. Why? Because trials are the training ground for spiritual strength. God is not interested in keeping you weak and fragile. He is building you into someone who can handle more, endure more, and accomplish more for His glory.
I wish this weren’t necessary, but…
We live in a fallen world. And we are fallen, fallible, imperfect people. Hence, the difficulties of life. And so… the struggles you face today are preparing you for the greater responsibilities He has for you tomorrow.
Of course, with responsibilities and struggles, there are also blessings. Praise God for that.
The Growth Process: From Weak to Strong
A child learning to walk falls many times before they gain balance. A teenager struggles before mastering new skills. An adult faces setbacks before achieving success.
The same process happens spiritually:
- God allows (or brings about) challenges so we grow in faith.
- He stretches us to grow us.
- He leads us out of our Comfort Zone so we can be in His Zone.
The trials you endure today increase your capacity to handle the weight of what’s ahead. God is preparing you for greater things.
Patience: The Key to Completion
James tells us that the trying of our faith worketh patience. In this context, patience means endurance—the ability to stand firm under pressure without collapsing.
And James doesn’t stop there. He says, let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
God wants us to become complete, mature, and fully equipped. That doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through trials.
Just as an athlete builds endurance by pushing through pain, a believer grows stronger by trusting God in difficulty.
- Faith grows when it is tested.
- Wisdom grows when we navigate struggles.
- Endurance grows when we keep going, even when it’s hard.
God doesn’t send trials to crush you—He allows them to grow you.
A Word of Caution
God will grow you by stretching you, but you still need to take care of yourself. You still need to take time (if at all possible) for rest and rejuvenation. God still rested on the seventh day — as an example to us. We still need to take time to (as Micah says) “sit under our vine and fig tree.” You need time to rest, refresh, and recalibrate.
What’s more, don’t use the fact that God grows us through trials and testing as justification to add unnecessary burdens to others. The Book of Galatians encourages us to help carry one another’s burdens (see Galatians 6:2), not add to other’s burdens.
That said…you will go through seasons when the burdens may be heavier than normal. You will go through times when you feel your faith is being tested and your capacity is being stretched. This is part of the Christian life, and it’s when James says we should “count it all joy.”
How to Embrace the Process with Joy
So how do we count it all joy when trials come?
- Recognize God’s Hand at Work – Every trial is an opportunity for growth. God is refining you, shaping you, and making you stronger.
- Shift Your Perspective – Instead of asking, Why is this happening to me?, ask, What is God doing in me through this? and How can I grow more to glorify Him more?
- Trust the Process – God is faithful. He never wastes a trial.
- Look Back at How Far You’ve Come – You are stronger today than you were yesterday. The same God who brought you through past trials will carry you through this one.
God is Making You Stronger
If you’re in the middle of a trial right now, take heart.
God sees you. He is with you. And He is growing your capacity—not to break you, but to prepare you for greater things ahead.
So hold on. Keep trusting. Keep moving forward.
You may not see it now, but you are growing. And one day, you’ll look back and realize that what once seemed impossible is now something you can handle with faith, strength, and confidence in Christ.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
—Philippians 1:6
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