The Wisdom of Joy In Suffering 1 (James 1:2-18)
Testing Produces Growth (1:2-4)
James starts his letter/teaching out by telling us to count trials as a source of joy! The word sometimes translated “encounter” here is actually “fall into.” As in a trap, or a calamity. Suffering is another word one could use. The only other time this word is used in the New Testament is in Luke’s account of The Good Samaritan, when a man “fell among thieves.” So, don’t kid yourself. James is telling us to consider bad things in life an opportunity for joy. That doesn’t mean we can’t have other feelings about trials. They are at times scary, sad, and upsetting. But, in perspective, we can keep hopeful joy.
There are two aspects and words being used here in chapter one that we need to keep in mind. Here James talks about “trials” and later he will talk about “temptations.” They are related but different. Trials are things that happen to us, that cause a crisis, or test us. Temptation is the internal reaction or motivation towards evil that we all face. Temptation may be triggered by a trial, but it is our sin nature and not the circumstance that is in play with temptation. (Interestingly, in The Lord’s Prayer, when we read, “Lead us not into temptation,” the word used there is the one that James uses here for trial, not temptation. More on that later…)
The trials we face are tests. They prove the quality of our faith. But more than that, as any good test does, they refine and develop our faith too. Sometimes we might take a test to see if we have learned something, but the better use of a test is to teach. When you learn things in a moment of need you tend to really learn them. That kind of knowledge sticks. I have had the opportunity to participate in security training. There was an element of “classroom lecture,” but the majority of the course was elaborate role-playing, both announced and unexpected. You tend to learn things when the stakes feel real.
That is reinforced here in what James says. The testing of our faith produces endurance. If you are an athlete, you can understand this concept. Long-distance runners know that their ability—their endurance—improves over time as they push themselves to their limit. In our spiritual journey the same is true. Faith is strengthened when it is tested. And this is a cause for joy. The stronger our faith, the better our relationship with God.
We may never fully experience the perfection that James says we are aiming for during this life. But, knowing that, we do not lower the bar. We want to become complete and mature people. We want to be the people we were created to be. Curtis Vaughan put it this way, “James teaches that patient endurance of trials fits a man for doing what God placed him in the world to do.” So, each test is an opportunity to get better at being who we were meant to be.
This reminds me of one of my favorite stories of faith, made into one of my favorite movies. Eric Liddell was a missionary kid to China who grew up to become a missionary to China himself. But in his college years he was also an accomplished athlete. One of his stories that made it intact into the movie, “Chariots of Fire” concerned a 440-yard race he ran. The 400-meter, today’s equivalent, is considered one of the toughest sprints. Almost a middle-distance race, at the time Liddell was running it was a race where pace was important. It can be grueling. Liddell was at an event where he had already won the 100 and 220, and as he began to run the 440, he was knocked down in the first turn. He managed to get up, recover, and even win the sprint.
In the film you see him have a moment of hesitation when he first gets up. What should he do? He has been knocked out of the race! But he is a runner. That is what he is supposed to do. The race is still on, and he should be running until it is over. I don’t think it was even a moment of calculation or consideration. He gathered his bearings and kept going.
You see Liddell didn’t run to win. He had other motivations. To quote a famous line from the movie, when he is explaining to his sister why he is running in races instead of returning to the mission field:
Trials and tests will come our way. We will occasionally be knocked off balance. What we need to remember is to press on doing what we are meant to do, trusting God to be in control.
James starts his letter/teaching out by telling us to count trials as a source of joy! The word sometimes translated “encounter” here is actually “fall into.” As in a trap, or a calamity. Suffering is another word one could use. The only other time this word is used in the New Testament is in Luke’s account of The Good Samaritan, when a man “fell among thieves.” So, don’t kid yourself. James is telling us to consider bad things in life an opportunity for joy. That doesn’t mean we can’t have other feelings about trials. They are at times scary, sad, and upsetting. But, in perspective, we can keep hopeful joy.
There are two aspects and words being used here in chapter one that we need to keep in mind. Here James talks about “trials” and later he will talk about “temptations.” They are related but different. Trials are things that happen to us, that cause a crisis, or test us. Temptation is the internal reaction or motivation towards evil that we all face. Temptation may be triggered by a trial, but it is our sin nature and not the circumstance that is in play with temptation. (Interestingly, in The Lord’s Prayer, when we read, “Lead us not into temptation,” the word used there is the one that James uses here for trial, not temptation. More on that later…)
The trials we face are tests. They prove the quality of our faith. But more than that, as any good test does, they refine and develop our faith too. Sometimes we might take a test to see if we have learned something, but the better use of a test is to teach. When you learn things in a moment of need you tend to really learn them. That kind of knowledge sticks. I have had the opportunity to participate in security training. There was an element of “classroom lecture,” but the majority of the course was elaborate role-playing, both announced and unexpected. You tend to learn things when the stakes feel real.
That is reinforced here in what James says. The testing of our faith produces endurance. If you are an athlete, you can understand this concept. Long-distance runners know that their ability—their endurance—improves over time as they push themselves to their limit. In our spiritual journey the same is true. Faith is strengthened when it is tested. And this is a cause for joy. The stronger our faith, the better our relationship with God.
We may never fully experience the perfection that James says we are aiming for during this life. But, knowing that, we do not lower the bar. We want to become complete and mature people. We want to be the people we were created to be. Curtis Vaughan put it this way, “James teaches that patient endurance of trials fits a man for doing what God placed him in the world to do.” So, each test is an opportunity to get better at being who we were meant to be.
This reminds me of one of my favorite stories of faith, made into one of my favorite movies. Eric Liddell was a missionary kid to China who grew up to become a missionary to China himself. But in his college years he was also an accomplished athlete. One of his stories that made it intact into the movie, “Chariots of Fire” concerned a 440-yard race he ran. The 400-meter, today’s equivalent, is considered one of the toughest sprints. Almost a middle-distance race, at the time Liddell was running it was a race where pace was important. It can be grueling. Liddell was at an event where he had already won the 100 and 220, and as he began to run the 440, he was knocked down in the first turn. He managed to get up, recover, and even win the sprint.
In the film you see him have a moment of hesitation when he first gets up. What should he do? He has been knocked out of the race! But he is a runner. That is what he is supposed to do. The race is still on, and he should be running until it is over. I don’t think it was even a moment of calculation or consideration. He gathered his bearings and kept going.
You see Liddell didn’t run to win. He had other motivations. To quote a famous line from the movie, when he is explaining to his sister why he is running in races instead of returning to the mission field:
“I believe God made for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
Trials and tests will come our way. We will occasionally be knocked off balance. What we need to remember is to press on doing what we are meant to do, trusting God to be in control.
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