Navigating UncertaintyMostra

James the Masochist

When we read today's passage, we would be quite justified in saying that James sounds like a masochist! Who, in their right mind, enjoys pain? James urges his readers to consider trials with pure joy! How do you do that?

From the historical background information, scholars surmise that James' readers suffered from poverty, persecution, and division. How can James tell them to consider a trial to be something to be joyful about?

To make matters worse, James affirms something we have feared all along: trials are not optional but an unavoidable reality. He does not say, "Consider it pure joy if you face trials of many kinds..." - He says, "whenever!" Trials are not a matter of "if" but "when."

So how can James be so positive? He focuses not on the trial itself but one of the possible outcomes of a trial. Depending on how we face the trial, it can either weaken us or strengthen us.

As far as James is concerned, a trial can be a trail to a new destination. Testing our faith is an opportunity to stick it out and develop spiritual toughness. We don't develop muscles and fitness without sweating. When hardship crosses our path, it is an opportunity to grow in perseverance, maturity, and faith.

Learning to see the difference between an attitude that turns hardship into a trial and the attitude that turns hardship into a trail is not easy. This is why we need God's help to give us wisdom and insight. This is always a leap of faith! We can't sit on the fence!