Be Still And Know

James 1:2-3 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. Having problems, trials and difficulties hardly sounds like the best way to create joy. So what is James talking about in these verses? It may sound ridiculous, but he is taking his readers to the heart of the Christian faith, which turns everything upside down. James is not saying that when we face difficulties it will be a bundle of fun. He is speaking to people who knew what it was to suffer for their faith. He wants them to know that, when we place our difficulties in God’s hands, he produces something in us that lasts. Something that takes us closer to the heart of God, and that always produces joy. I have had a bad back for many years. At times, I’ve lived with pain night and day. It’s certainly not fun. But I thank God for the way in which he has used it to lead me closer to him. It has, unquest