In the beginning of the first chapter of the book of James, we discover one of the primary reasons we face challenges in life and how we are to respond to these challenges. James makes it very clear challenges, both good and bad, play an important role in who we become along life's journey. As Miley Cyrus sang in her debut on the big screen life is about "The Climb".

James 1:2-5
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Now that we have read the above verses let's make some sense of them and how they apply to our lives today.

First understand what James is not saying. James is not declaring we should enjoy pain and suffering. He is not encouraging us to rejoice in our discomfort or to take pleasure in pain. Rather, he is exhorting us to be glad in our present sufferings because of the strength we will gain through overcoming this challenge as we rely completely on the resurrection power of Jesus Christ that lives within us. Trials provide an incredible backdrop for God to paint a beautiful picture with our lives. James reminds us, in these times, we develop the perseverance necessary to live the lives we were designed to live and to become the people we were created to become.

Trials are clearly designed to stretch us. They happen along life's journey to increase our dependance on God and to deepin our faith in Him. Trials, both good or bad, are designed to move us into a mature faith. God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He knows what we can and cannot handle. His has promised to never give us more than we can handle. He is never late; nor is He ever early. He is always on time providing us with what we need to become better instead of bitter as we grow through our trials.

The story of a little boy and his butterfly reminds me of pain and its place in our lives.

A little boy captured a caterpillar and placed it in an old mayonnaise jar. He fed the caterpillar. One day the caterpillar formed a protection shield referred to as a cacoon. The boy frequently checked on the cacoon. Soon he noticed what had once been a caterpillar was now struggling to force itself out of a little tiny opening of the cacoon. Wanting to help the little creature the boy took a razor blade and slightly cut the opening enabling the little creature to emerge. However, it did not look like a beautiful butterfly. Instead it looked like deformed insect. The boy did all he could to nurse it to good health but to no avail. After the deformed butterfly died the boy researched and discovered the caterpillar must go through the struggle in the cacoon in order to become the butterfly it was created to become. The struggle inside the cacoon was necessary for metamorphosis to take place. Without this process called metamorphosis the butterfly will never become a butterfly.

Struggle is necessary in life for us to become who we were created to become. James reminds us of this in these early verses of his first chapter. We also see in verse five how we are to respond. James commands us to pray for wisdom.

A pastor once went to visit a lady in his congregation who was very sick with cancer. While visiting he said, "I have been praying for you." Quickly the lady asked, "how have you been praying." The pastor was taken back a little and then he replied, "I asked God to take away your sickess and pain." The lady replied, "Oh Pastor, please pray I would not miss what God has for me in this time."

Wow, what a lesson for me!

I am not sure where you are in this journey we call life but I do know based on the authority of God's word, you are not alone! God is with you and He will give you what you need to grow through your current circumstances. Pray for wisdom and believe in the One who gives is freely.