We all need stronger faith, but how does our faith become stronger? If you want a stronger body, you cannot accomplish that simply by reading a book, listening to an audiobook, or attending a seminar about exercise. Eventually, you must begin exercising and working against resistance. When done correctly, lifting weights makes your body stronger. A similar principle applies to our spiritual lives. We may ask God to strengthen our faith, but when He allows us to face something difficult, we may begin to question what His plan involves. In those moments, God calls us to trust Him.
Troubles Are Going to Come
James writes:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” – James 1:2, NLT
James does not say if troubles come; he says when they come. Troubles are a normal part of life in a sinful and fallen world. Life often feels like a constant series of sunny days and storms, and no one remains untouched by hardship, sickness, disappointment, financial pressure, relationship problems, or the loss of someone they love.
Being a follower of Jesus does not make us immune to illness. It does not guarantee that we will never be laid off, ripped off, mistreated, or disappointed. It also does not mean that we will never experience family problems or relationship troubles. Sometimes the trouble is our fault because something we said, did, or failed to do contributed to the situation. At other times, the trouble is not our fault at all. We did not cause it, ask for it, or go looking for it. We may have done everything correctly, and something still broke or someone still took advantage of us.
God Can Use Our Trials
God does not sit in heaven looking for ways to trip us up or make our lives miserable. We should not assume that every hardship comes directly from God. James later makes it clear that God never tempts us to sin. However, God can use the trials we experience to test, strengthen, and reveal the genuineness of our faith. James is not saying that the trouble itself is good. He is saying that trouble can become an opportunity for God to accomplish something good in us.
When we recognize that our faith is being tested, we can decide to respond in a way that pleases God. We can say, “I am going to do the right thing. I want God to be pleased with how I respond, and I want to be able to look back without regretting how I handled this.” Knowing that tests will come can help us prepare ourselves to face them faithfully.
Preparing for the Tests Ahead
Before I could receive a ministry license, I had to prepare answers to approximately 126 questions about the Christian faith. Later, as part of the ordination process, I had to write papers, answer additional questions, and complete an oral interview. I worked toward ordination for more than a year. At one point, I was supposed to be writing about my views on evangelism, but I suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to insulate and sheetrock my garage. My wife asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be working on that paper?” I told her, “I’m putting up sheetrock, but I’m working on it in my head.” Sometimes we avoid important work because it feels overwhelming, but when we know a test is coming, we must prepare for it.
Years ago, I regularly exercised at a Snap Fitness in my town. A man with Colorado license plates would get on the stair-climbing machine while wearing a huge backpack. He would move as fast as he could while carrying all that weight. I eventually learned that he was a professional firefighter from Colorado. When a fire broke out in the mountains, he sometimes had to hike and run ten or fifteen miles to reach it before he could even begin fighting the fire. His demanding workouts were preparing him for the difficulties ahead. He wanted to possess the endurance he would need when the real test came.
Joy Does Not Mean Enjoying the Pain
The firefighter’s preparation helps us understand what James means when he tells us to consider our troubles an opportunity for joy. Joy does not mean pretending that a painful experience makes us happy. If my tire is flat, I might sarcastically say, “Oh, joy,” but I am not actually delighted to have a flat tire. Our joy is not found in the pain itself. It comes from the confident assurance that God can bring us through it. We know that He can use the testing of our faith to develop endurance and make us stronger.
James explains:
“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” – James 1:3, NLT
Endurance is the ability to remain under pressure without abandoning our faith. Perseverance is more than passive waiting; it means continuing to trust and obey God while the pressure remains. The more hardships we experience while continuing to trust God, the better prepared we often become for future challenges. Those experiences can make us better leaders, parents, grandparents, workers, friends, and servants of Jesus. We can look back and say, “I have been through something like this before. God brought me through then, and I can trust Him now.”
Learning to Climb the Hill
Years ago, when I rode my bicycle regularly, there was a hill I always avoided. It seemed like the killer hill, and traffic would pass alongside me as I struggled to climb it. Eventually, I decided that I needed to conquer it. My first goal was simply to reach the top without getting off the bicycle, walking, or stopping. I went as slowly as I possibly could without falling over. Then I returned to that hill day after day and week after week. Eventually, climbing it was no longer a major problem.
That experience taught me that we can gain the strength to endure, but we must also be patient. It takes time to reach the top of the hill, but there is a downhill ride waiting on the other side. As our endurance grows, we become stronger and more useful in God’s hands. We become the kind of people who can say, “We do not need to give up. We do not need to quit. God has brought us through before, and we can keep following Him.”
Let Endurance Grow
James continues:
“So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” – James 1:4, NLT
We are not yet perfect and complete. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong process involving the study of God’s Word, spiritual disciplines, obedience, and the practical experience of living out our faith. We must keep growing, keep showing up when life is difficult, keep trusting God, and keep doing what is right. We need to allow endurance to accomplish its work in us.
Ask God for the Wisdom You Need
Trials often leave us unsure about what to do next. We may understand that we should trust God but still need to know how to respond to a specific situation.
James tells us:
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” – James 1:5, NLT
Wisdom is more than knowledge. It is the God-given ability to apply what we know to everyday life.
When we face a difficult decision, we may wonder, “Should I respond? Should I say something? Should I push back? Should I wait? What should I do?” That is the time to pray, “God, give me wisdom in this situation so I can do Your will.” God is generous. He does not criticize us for admitting that we do not know what to do. Instead, He invites us to ask Him for help. Sometimes God gives us wisdom as we read Scripture. Sometimes the answer comes through a devotional book, a sermon, or a Christian podcast. At other times, God uses the counsel of a mature Christian with whom we have shared our difficulty. Whatever means God uses, the wisdom ultimately comes from Him.
Trust God Without Divided Loyalty
James also warns:
“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver.” – James 1:6, NLT
James is calling us to commit ourselves fully to Jesus. We cannot ask God for His direction while remaining determined to follow the world whenever its answer seems easier. We must commit ourselves to Jesus, commit ourselves to being His servants, and commit ourselves to following His Word. We can ask God for wisdom and trust Him to provide the answer we need. The next time life becomes difficult, remember that God has not abandoned you. Your trouble can become an opportunity for your faith to grow stronger. Let God develop your endurance, ask Him for wisdom, and trust Him while you continue climbing the hill. God can get you through.