2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
- James 1:2-4
The bible talks about troubles and that it should be a cause for us to have joy. Isn't it weird how it tells us to do the opposite to be joyful when the natural human reaction for having troubles are sorrow? Why? why should troubles be an opportunity to have great joy?! It's just crazy the way GOD tells us to deal with things. But HE says troubles test our faith. How is faith tested when we have troubles? I think it is tested if we could answer yes to this question: would we still be grateful to GOD inspite of the troubles? would we still trust GOD inspite of the troubles? would we still have joy even in troubles? Only blind faith or insanity will enable us to have joy when the world is against us. If we are able to be greatful, to trust GOD and to have in the midst of troubles then our faith is strong and we are surely depending on GOD for everything. Each time our faith is being tested, our faith becomes stronger and each time our faith is strengthened through troubles, our endurance has a chance to grow. For every follower of GOD, we expect this kind of molding in our lives for GOD is constantly shaping us to be the best that GOD wants us to be. A man or woman in the likeness of who GOD is. Of course, GOD has a lot of work to do with us because we are frail, infalliable beings, prone to many weaknesses. But the good news is, GOD will never give up on us as long as we don't give up trusting HIM.
When trouble hits us, the first initial reaction is to wallow in sorrow and misery. It is only natural for anyone to be sad when there's trouble. But even in the darkness of night, isn't it most wonderful to know that GOD is encouraging us to be joyful? HE is Sovereign and everything HE does will achieve great purpose for HIMSELF and for the work that HE is doing. Just think of it this way, we are GOD's masterpiece, troubles are just the tools that sharpen, mold, enhance us to be the best masterpiece HE has ever created.
