You might feel a little pinch

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:3

Just reading this verse causes a little trepidation inside of me.

Visions of the dentist saying, "You might feel a lttle pinch," or my mom saying, "now this might sting" begin to invade my thinking. Each time they said these things, I felt pain! A trial can be like that little pinch or sting. I knew at the dentist that after the sting of the numbing juice I wouldn't feel much and after my mom poured hydrogen peroxide on my cut that the bubbling foam would clean out the dirt and a bandaid would follow. I knew what to expect.

James tells us what we can expect from trials. Perseverance.

Note also that he doesn't say if we face trials but when. They will come and when they do we have a choice.

• Consider it joy- Look at the end result
• Ignore it, try to work it out alone, become bitter

The testing of our faith develops, produces-perseverance/patience.

• The Greek word for patience is hupomone. It describes an active endurance not a passive waiting.


• It means to remain under. (Picture someone under a heavy load and making The decision to stay there instead of trying to escape).

Why would anyone one decide to stay in the midst of a trial? Perhaps they have found the joy in watching God develop perseverance in them.

What trial are you facing right now? How can you experience joy as you face it head on? What will the perseverance look like at the end of it?

Father, I must admit that I don't always look at trials as an opportunity to grow. Thank you for Giving us these words to encourage us to face them head on. I want to ReFlect the joy that comes from you even in the midst of the storms.

Jann