Facing our Trials

James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of you faith develops perseverance." (NIV)

As I read this passage this morning, two phrases grabbed my attention very quickly.  The phrase, "consider it pure joy, and the testing of your faith" challenged me to reconsider my approach to the daily challenges of life.  I remembered that there have been many times in which the trials I was facing did everything but bring joy into my life.  It was during those trials that I was looking for anything but the principle of perseverance rather I was looking for immediate deliverance and victory.  I was more interested in receiving the blessing that I needed rather than the training and development that God had in mind.  I am constantly amazed at my inability to fully comprehend the lessons that the challenges of life seek to teach me.  I am writing these thoughts from the point of view of what some people may deem as a "seasoned believer."  Yet, I still struggle at times when my faith is truly being tested.  I am more interested in facing those challenges and moving through them as quickly as possible.  I desire an immediate victory so that I can bounce back into church the next Sunday and have a stirring testimony of victory.  But I must remember that Christ is interested in me completing the journey with Him and there are times that I am more interested in living for the moment.  This does not mean that Christ is not interested in the daily moments in our lives but He has a long term plan for our life which will ultimately place us in His presence for eternity.  I have the tendency to look at the temporal and the plan of God focuses on the eternal.  Some of you are facing the "fiery" trials that the Apostle Peter referenced in his writings but rest assured that Christ has not lost you nor forgotten you in the midst of your trial.  Christ is working His eternal plan in each of our lives and we must be prepared to persevere regardless of the circumstances that may seek to hinder our walk with Him.  I realize that the previous statement can be challenging to receive but I do believe that it is the right statement to receive.  God does have an eternal plan for each of our lives!