Making the Most of a Trial

In the Epistle of the apostle James, in chapter 1, after speaking about the fact that we must consider it all joy when we find ourselves in various trials, because those trials of our faith produce patience, among many other things, the apostle James also gives us a warning and says: “But let patience have its complete work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

After speaking about the importance of trials and of considering them a reason, in a sense, to rejoice spiritually in them, because those trials produce in us the quality of patience, which is essential to Christian character, the apostle James also gives a little warning and says: “But let patience have its complete work, that you may be perfect and complete.” In other words, I believe what the apostle James is telling us here is this: let us make sure we absorb the full positive effect of trials, so that the patience we must develop reaches its fullest expression, and so that our character as Christians reaches a level of near perfection, or at least of the highest development.

And he says we should make sure that patience has its complete work. We must ask the Lord that, when He takes us through a time of trial and difficulty, we will have everything we need to see exactly what He wants to accomplish through that work, so that we can interpret those times of trial correctly and make the most of them.

I believe that is why the apostle James immediately says in verse 5: “And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Why, in the apostle James’s mind, this connection between trials, patience, developing that trial and that patience to the fullest, and asking God to give us wisdom? I believe wisdom—and I could also add spiritual discernment—is absolutely important if we are to understand and discern God’s purpose behind every circumstance, every situation, including trials in which we may find ourselves.

We need wisdom and discernment to understand what God has in mind through the situation I am going through. When we are going through trials, one of the things we must say to the Lord is: Lord, give me understanding, give me wisdom to know what You are trying to achieve and accomplish through this time of lack, of trial, of difficulty. What part of my being are You trying to perfect and confront through this particular situation?

One of the reasons we so often grow impatient with trials, and sometimes stop praying or seeking the Lord, or begin to doubt God’s mercy and withdraw from the Church and from our brothers and sisters, and stop serving the Lord—what happens then? Instead of producing the good that God intends, the trial produces bad things, rather, a turning away from the things of the Lord.

But one reason this happens is precisely that we are not discerning what God wants to do through that trial. We do not have the wisdom to interpret trials in light of God’s benevolent purpose, and therefore we see them as something negative rather than positive, and we do not understand God’s reason behind them. That is why the apostle James says: No, ask the Lord to give you wisdom to interpret trials, so that the trial can have its fullest effect and produce in you a character that he calls here “perfect and complete.” That is what we must aim for in the Christian life: to attain the highest Christian perfection.

Colossians 4, for example—in Colossians 4, chapter 12, Paul says: “Always pleading earnestly for you in our prayers, that you may stand firm, perfect and complete in all that God wills.” That should be the goal of our lives: to attain the highest perfection, to develop Christian character to the fullest.

Also, in First Thessalonians chapter 5, the apostle Paul says there in verse 23: “And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole being, spirit, soul, and body, be kept blameless for the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How interesting, isn’t it, that he says: May God sanctify us completely and may our whole being, every part of our being, be kept blameless.

In other words, as Christians we should aim for perfection, develop all the qualities of Christian character, and become more and more like Christ. Interestingly, the trials and difficulties of life produce that effect in us; that is why God uses them. God is like a doctor or a very skilled surgeon who is cutting things out of us, operating in our lives. Trials and difficulties have a power and a capacity to break us, to smooth away things in us, like no other kind of experience.

It is interesting that what is negative in God’s hands, like pain in the hands of a good surgeon or a bitter medicine in the hands of a good doctor, instead produces an effect that leads to life and spiritual growth, and to the formation of Christian character, so that we reflect that perfection of Christ’s character. The word perfect in the original Greek has more the sense of being complete, of bringing something to its fullest expression. It does not necessarily mean being perfect in the sense of having no flaws, because we will always have flaws in our character, but it does mean that our character can become well-rounded.

And so we can understand why James says we should make sure that patience reaches its fullest expression: that when we go through trials, we do not leave the trial prematurely, but, understanding its purpose and its beneficial effect, let it have its full effect, so that we may come to reflect the character of Jesus in all its fullness and perfection. One more reason why we must count it all joy when we find ourselves in various trials.