How many of you have had a conversation with another believer that went something like this:
“How’s it going?”
“A little rough. My car broke down this week, and my boss has been overloading me at work.”
“Count it all joy, brother. Count it all joy.”

At this point you want to find the nearest trash can because you just spit up a little from the religious cheesiness.
In a post-modern generation that is tired of convenient anecdotes and religious jargon, the truth of this statement has gotten lost to many. However, the very first thing James puts in his book is this statement… right after a greeting.

James 1:2 (NLT) “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
Verse 3 follows: “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

It’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated when situations and circumstances begin to stack up against us. It is adversity that builds strength and cements what we understand in our head into actual practical skill.

Take for instance any of the martial arts I’ve been in. A common thing you will see is people practicing moves either in the air or against a stationary or compliant partner. This stage of training is important and helps the practitioner learn the particular fundamentals of the techniques. However, most schools never take the next step into translating those techniques into a live environment or with a partner that is resisting. Essentially, that technique will be meaningless and ineffective when a self-defense situation arises because the person never learned how to apply it in resistance.
It’s the same if someone only learns how to bench press but never adds weight to the bar, or someone who watches football all day but never actually plays. It has happened countless times where someone has come into the gym talking about how he has this belt from this system and this belt from that system and asks to “spar.” In the course of their talking you find out that it was either an online class or some other school that doesn’t train in what we call a “live” environment. That individual is about to face a major wake-up call when he steps on the mat with someone who has had to face “troubles” or “adversities” and had their skills put to the test.
In the same way, God doesn’t want us to walk around with faith that is untested and untried. He wants us to have the confidence that can only come when we face adversity and press forward.

James says it this way a little later in the next chapter: “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” – James 2:18 NKJV

James had confidence in his faith because he faced adversity and continued to press forward and walk out what he believed. He knew his faith was solid, that it was anchored not just wishful thinking in an idea.
In our culture where things seem to be accelerating to the most convenient, easy, and comfortable option, let’s not let our faith fall into that category. Let’s choose to face the trouble coming against us with joy, knowing that our faith is building strength and endurance that can anchor our lives in the truth of God’s word.