“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).
Contrary to all conventional wisdom, the inspired penman James declares God’s expectation for His scattered bondservants to be joyful in life’s various trials. In spite of God’s clear expectation, many Christians are not. Often this is because of childish and selfish thinking.
A child expects everything to go his way, even when he changes his mind every ten minutes.
Selfish people want no inconveniences. In their pettiness and arrogance, they believe they, not God, always knows what is best. Therefore, whenever God exercises His providential sovereignty in ways which oppose their selfish thinking and childish expectations, they have spiritual temper tantrums.
“Various trials” reveal your level (or lack) of maturity. To God, your character is vastly more important and valuable than your convenience.
A childish and selfish accounting system reckons life’s various trials as liabilities, not assets. With this accounting method, it is impossible to count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
