Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4 NIV84)I've realized that we all think that suffering means we're going to lose something, maybe even something great. And yet when I look at God's promise in the verse, it says that we will not lack anything. I'm realizing that God has promised that suffering isn't a loss, like we fear. Instead it is our Father's way to get us what we really want. Of course, when I see "not lacking anything," I think wealth, comfort, and desire. I think about stuff. God is wanting something entirely different for us. His desire is hidden in "mature and complete." He really doesn't care about our stuff. He cares about our inner growth so much that he is committed to our suffering.
Honestly, I don't like that. I like my stuff. I don't see the point of suffering, and I don't have the same value on my character that my Father does. But slowly I'm starting to see that although the storms in our lives do blow away our stuff, they also unearth jewels that we'd never have without suffering.
