(1) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. (2) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, (3) for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (4) And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

                James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, is writing this letter to Jewish Christians who were dispersed across the Roman Empire due to persecution (1:1). As a servant to “God and our Lord Jesus Christ,” James encourages them to endure trials because he has confidence that they will grow in their commitment to Christ and mature in their faith through the things they suffer (1:2-4). God, according to James, has a purpose in allowing us to suffer as believers. God has our best interest in mind. That is why we can express real joy no matter what difficulties we may face (1:2). What is interesting about James is that he does not limit suffering exclusively to “persecution,” but views our suffering coming upon us in a mixture of ways (1:2). Through these various tests, we grow “stronger” in our faith: perseverance (1:3). The picture here is a person who carries successfully a heavy load for a long time (Moo 55). By getting “stronger,” we mature in our Christian character, reflecting more and more the character of Christ. 

            In school, all of us will face difficulties. Some of us will be worn-out through attempting to balance our studies with activities and work. Some of us will face problems with friends. Others of us might struggle with our health. We even might face persecution, unfriendliness or verbal opposition, from our peers due to our faith. My encouragement and prayer for you is that you will allow the difficulties that you face in your life to transform your character and that in the midst of the struggle, you will be reminded by the Holy Spirit that God is ultimately in control and has your best interest in mind. Then you will be able to genuinely have joy and others will be able to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed your life.