trials

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2 – 3

Today in the great state of Texas is a day that school teachers and students have been dreading all year, it was TAKS test day. This a day that the schools work for…the teaching and preparing and today was the day. Most everyone who works in public school is just ready to get it over with. Another test…the questions are difficult, the students are nervous, everyone just wants it to be over.

But today I noticed a different perspective. As my principal was on the morning announcements, I noticed a different sound in her voice, an excitement, a great anticipation…she was almost giddy. She said on the announcements that this was the opportunity for all the students to show everything they had learned, this was their time to shine. I thought about her words…opportunity…I wouldn’t have used that to refer to this test. But she did and I could tell by the sound in her voice that she really meant it. She had an excited anticipation about the day.

I had the privilege today to read the test a loud to one little 4th grade girl. I was not sure what to expect with just she and I in the room all day, but it turned out to be quite interesting. As the test began, she was really nervous. She worked cautiously, she second guessed herself. She was very quiet. But as the morning went on she became more confident. She came to questions that she was sure she knew the answer. She began to work more swiftly, her pencil marks were sure. Her entire demeanor changed and she took the opportunity to shine.

As I thought about all of this today, my mind begin to think about us and our tests or trials. The book of James says to count it ALL JOY when we encounter various trials. It made me wonder…is our Heavenly Father like my principal? When we encounter trials along life’s journey, does He look at it as a way for us to shine, to show the things we have learned? Is He waiting with eager anticipation to see if we will pass through our test with flying colors?

I think that the answer maybe yes. I think that the Lord is watching as we go through life trials and He is waiting to se how we will react and what we will show. I think that James understood that. Look at what it says in the Message
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors” James 1:2-3
Did you catch that last line “Show its true colors?” That truly is the opportunity to shine.

For most, trials catch us off guard and we approach them like my little 4th grader. We may be scared and timid, unsure of the next step or how to proceed. We may be nervous that we will make the wrong move or make a big mistake. But the more trials we experience and the more lessons learned, the more confident we become. We gain perseverance…isn’t that what James said was the real point of trials anyway?

When we find ourselves in the midst of a trial…something we didn’t expect, something that is difficult to walk through…let’s take a minute. We can look at these moments as our time to shine. We can pray and ask God that we will use this opportunity to show our true colors. That we will come out on the other side a little more confident…a little more sure-footed, clothed with a little more perseverance. That is my prayer for all of us.