Perhaps I watched too many Disney movies as a kid, but I used to believe that if I did all the right things, my life wouldn’t be hard. As if pain only comes to those who get into trouble. As if struggle is a choice.

But then, I found myself pursuing a career with little room for women. I found a lump and thought I might have cancer at twenty-three. When I finally got a job in my career field, I moved to another state and learned that beginning a new life in a new town isn’t so easy. And that, was just my early twenties. 

Once I got my “dream job,” I had years of singleness and learning how much of life I had yet to figure out. Yes, there were seasons of adventure and joy. But there were also seasons of loneliness, confusion, and struggle. One time, it was so bad, I almost moved across the country to get away from it. 

My Disney belief system couldn’t stand up to reality. I quickly discovered being a grown up isn’t about happy endings. Only it took me a while to understand why all the things that happened (or didn’t happen), were a part of my story. 

As someone who believes in God, I couldn’t reconcile what was happening to me with God’s love for me. I couldn’t help but wonder, if He loves me, why wasn’t He stepping in to change my situation?

In the book of James, in the Bible, the author opens up the first chapter telling his readers these crazy words. He says, “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds…(v.2)” I don’t know about you, but joy is not the first thing on my mind when hard times strike, let alone pure joy. Instead there is usually stress, anxiety, fear, and sometimes, tears.

As someone who believes in God, I couldn’t reconcile what was happening to me with God’s love for me. I couldn’t help but wonder, if He loves me, why wasn’t He stepping in to change my situation?

But to better understand these outlandish words, we need to read what comes next. James continues by saying,  “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (v. 3-4).”

The words that stick out to me from this passage are “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” How many of us adults feel like we’re lacking? How many of us have times when we feel anything but mature and complete?

I don’t know about you, but joy is not the first thing on my mind when hard times strike, let alone pure joy.

In the midst of my hard times, the last thing I’m thinking of is how my circumstances are going to help me. To believe that they, like Rachel Hollis says, “Are happening for me, not happening to me.” But in this passage, James is speaking a larger truth over our situation. He is saying that if we let Him, God can grow and strengthen us through whatever is going on in our life. 

Only, I don’t believe that is all James is saying. 

God is a God of purpose, order, and goodness. So why would He want us to be mature, complete, and not lacking anything?—Just so we could feel good about ourselves? I don’t think so. Each trial, every hard season that produces growth inside of us, is to enable us to do the very good work He has created us to do in our world. It could be in our career, our community, or even in our home. 

In one of my favorite movies, The Devil Wears Prada, Anne Hathaway’s character is told, “Let me know when your entire life goes up in smoke, then it’s time for a promotion.” Though it isn’t a perfect analogy, there have been situations in my life when really good things have followed really hard times. When a new challenge or dream I’d been wanting didn’t happen until after I went through a difficult season of growth. And I believe this is the joy James is talking about. 

In our struggles, God hasn’t forgotten us. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Many times He is preparing and growing us for the good things He has for us to do in the future.

What struggles are you facing this season?

Where do you feel lacking, and how may God be filling that lack? 

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