James 1:2
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”
Excuse me? Why would anyone wish trials upon themselves? And what does joy have to do with suffering? During Advent when we reflect on hope, peace, and joy, this can indeed be jarring. The joy in view here isn’t about the suffering. It is about the fruit.
Young children balk at responsibility. A parent tells their child to clean their room. The child throws a tantrum. They have a million reasons why they shouldn’t have to. Yet we inflict responsibility on that child. Why? Because parents think about the future. That child will one day drive a car, have a career, and raise a family. But building that responsibility starts with the trial of a clean room. It is a test they get to take until they pass. And while parents don’t enjoy the tantrums, we do rejoice in growth. When your child really listens and obeys, that breakthrough makes your heart swell. We love our kids. But we also love who they are becoming.
Our Heavenly Father is unmatched in his parenting. He knows exactly when and how to grow us. During Advent we remember how God patiently prepared the world for Christ as his people waited for centuries, often in hardship and silence, God similarly shapes us even when the process is slow and uncomfortable.
James goes on to explain that the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Perseverance has work to do in order to make us mature and complete, not lacking anything. Imagine the pride God must feel to watch his children grow. True, that growth often involves pain. But to God, the pain isn’t worth comparing to who we are becoming.
So, in this Advent season, think back through this year. Did you have any trials? It wasn’t because God was mad at you, or because He didn’t care. Quite the opposite. God knew what he was doing when he took the training wheels off. And He didn’t leave you. God is running behind saying, “That’s my boy. That’s my girl. Look at them go.”
For a father and his child, that moment is pure joy.