SHOULD TRIALS BE ENCOURAGING PHASES OF MY LIFE?

SCRIPTURE:
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But 
let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and 
complete, lacking nothing. 
(James 1:2-4)

MEDITATION:
How could one consider being joyful while going through trials? 
Have you ever wanted to pitch a fit? 
At times I think everyone has experienced this feeling. 
Those are the times when 
we need to allow our spirit to refocus our natural inclinations. 

God says that we will be tried as pure gold. 
It is this testing and trying of our faith that 
actually builds the character that God wants us to have. 
It is at this time that our faith is strengthened, 
and we learn to totally trust God.
 
This is a time when we experience the love of God 
that develops patience to know Him and to wait on Him. 
We need to be thankful for these difficult times because God is 
developing us into mighty men and women of God to accomplish His will. 

Two people go through the same trial; 
one grows closer to God, the other turns away; what is the difference?
One allows the trial to become a temptation for evil 
and gives in to the temptation.
The other realizes that God is at work 
and looks for the good He is working in their life.

James refers to trials as the process to becoming a perfect work, 
so that we will lack nothing. 
In the natural, we have a hard time understanding 
how a trial becomes a perfect work, but we need to realize 
that our natural man must die, so that the spiritual man might grow. 
It is through the Spirit of God that we are perfected for His calling.  
This is a difficult scripture, 
but it is at the heart of becoming a true servant of God. 

ACTION:
Are you in the midst of a trial right now?
If so, how are you handling it?
Are you sinking into a negative attitude 
or, are you encouraged to know that God is at work in your life?
If you are not in a trial right now, then this is a good time 
to prepare yourself for the next trial that comes your way.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to mold me 
and make me into Your image so that through You, I can become 
a source of strength to others and become a guiding light in this 
world. Help me to have the right attitude whenever I am going 
through a trial, so that I can be encouraged and not succumb to 
depressing and hopeless thoughts.”