The third question about troubles flows from James’s answer to the first two. We can’t avoid the various troubles in life, but we can accept that God has purposed them for our good. We’re to view them as opportunities for rejoicing in the work He’s doing in our lives—challenging us so He can change us. But how do we keep the trials designed for our good from crushing us?

When the inevitable troubles of various kinds come, remember the second truth about them—they have a purpose. We’re not just tossed into the crowd and left to fend for ourselves as God runs the world from a distance. The various troubles that occur are all part of His plan. When we accept this, we can view them as opportunities for growth.

As James begins his discussion of troubles, notice his word choice: “when troubles . . . come your way” (James 1:2, emphasis added). His use of “when” here tells us troubles are inevitable for all of us. James doesn’t say “if troubles come” or “when troubles come to somebody else” or “in the unlikely event that a trouble or two crosses your path.” It’s when, not if.

The Bible doesn’t varnish over the rough realities of life with a thick coat of empty clichés. God’s Word meets the truth of unbudging troubles head-on. Scripture speaks often of the bruises of adversity. In the Psalms, King David reminds all the faithful through the ages that “the afflictions of the righteous are many” (Psalm 34:19, NASB).