Faith and Diamonds

By Samantha Rodriguez

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”—James 1:1-3 (NIV)

Have you ever seen a diamond being formed? Unless you’ve watched YouTube videos like me, you probably haven’t because diamonds form deep within the earth over hundreds and thousands of years. Their formation process involves two major components: extremely high temperatures and intense levels of pressure. Why is this relevant to faith? Well, because our faith undergoes the same kind of intense process in order to be refined and strengthened!

With this illustration in mind, we can better understand today’s Scripture. James, Jesus’ half-brother, was writing specifically to the early church as they were being persecuted by Herod. This is why he described them as “scattered among the nations” and immediately encouraged them regarding their current trials. However, this encouragement is very contrary to what our natural response in times of trial might be. How can one “consider it pure joy” when trials often involve pain, suffering, and loss? 

Recently, this became much more real to me. Being a part of the class of 2020, the arrival of COVID-19 and quarantine devastated my dreams for what my final moments as a high schooler would look like. It felt like I was riding a violent, emotional rollercoaster as all the sadness and nostalgia that would have eventually come with graduation rapidly and unexpectedly came early in addition to the anxiety, shock, and disappointment that COVID-19 brought on its own. I know what the Bible says about trials, yet they’re so hard to live out in the moment. As I processed my rollercoaster of emotions, I realized God doesn’t condemn our feelings in the midst of trials; rather, He commands us to pour out our hearts before Him because only then will we be able to fully trust Him (Psalms 62:8)! 

When James wrote this encouragement, he used the Greek word for “consider” which can be translated to “evaluate” or “meditate on.” This translation indicates that we must make the conscious decision to find joy and hope in the midst of our trials. God doesn’t expect us to naturally be happy when we face difficulty, but in the same way that we must choose to actively trust in Him during difficult times, we must also consciously choose to find joy in His promises! Therefore, James continued his statement by giving a promise: that the testing of their faith would produce perseverance. And get this! The diamond analogy works perfectly because the Greek word for diamond translates to “unconquerable” or “invincible!” 

Upon realizing this, I found that the difficulty of being a senior during COVID-19 actually became a blessing! I personally experienced James 1:1-3, and as a result, I learned God loves us enough to allow us to endure tests because He knows that the refining of our faith and our sanctification as His children is more important than merely breezing through life. May we “consider it pure joy” as we remember the end product of our refined faith in the midst of trials!

Pause: Reflect on how your faith has been refined through seasons of difficulty in the past?

Practice: Actively choose to find joy in the midst of whatever trial you’re facing today! Remember God’s character, promises, and the outcome of your refined faith.

Pray: Father, thank You for loving me enough to draw me closer to Yourself, even when it means enduring trials to do so. Thank You that despite the suffering and trials I’ll face in my life, You have already secured the ultimate victory! Help me to remember who You are and what You promise so I may consider it pure joy when my faith is tested! Amen.