PODCAST
It Builds Character
July 3rd, 2022
James 1:1-8
When I was a child, my mom told me every setback was good because “it built character.” This was not particularly comforting. I wanted comfort.
If you enjoy feeling convicted rather than comforted, I recommend the Book of James. In the opening paragraph, he cuts the reader to the core. There are demands (persevere!), calls (pray for wisdom!), and even insults (such a person is double-minded and unstable!). Ouch.
Yet, there is something about these words that provide a template for hope. Trials are coming, but they are not empty tests. They produce fruit. When life puts you on trial, when you feel hurt or stressed: God is building perseverance within you. Perseverance strengthens faith and makes us mature. Maturity helps us weather the next storm.
This may not sound like fun, but we would all testify the trials never stop. There is always the next hurt, next struggle, next crisis. God is working even in the hard times, and we are made better for it if we can pause to find Him in the midst of the storm.
Author: Timothy Brooks
