Going Through or Growing Through

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We all face trials and adversity. They come in many forms and fashions. Physical afflictions, financial troubles, marital problems. Trouble on your job, disappointment, betrayal, discouragement ,depression lack of self-esteem. The list goes on. All of these things test your faith.

James says that when these type of testing and trials come along, we should count it all joy, rejoice, be happy. Typically for me, these are not my most joyous moments. In fact, they are some of the most challenging moments as a child of God.

Someone reading this may be experiencing their own trials and tribulations and life is really difficult right now. Someone may be ready to give up; someone may be on their last leg of hope. Don’t give up. I have some good news for you. James says that the testing and trials we experience produce patience and patience works so that you can be mature and complete not lacking anything. Through your trial, through your affliction, through your pain and sorrow God is working on you, God is building you, God is fashioning you into a mighty warrior who truly is mature and complete not lacking anything.

Listen to that, whatever you are going though God uses to ultimately complete you so there is no lack in any area of your life. When you are going through we think that it is designed to break us down, we think it’s designed to destroy us, to make us weak, to make us quit and give up. But that is the enemies’ perspective, that’s what he wants you to see, and when we see through his eyes, it leads to fear, sorrow, depressions failure and defeat.

Jesus death on the cross and resurrection from the grave conquered every weapon the enemy uses against us, through Jesus victory on the cross we have the power and ability to count it joy when we face testing and trials. Let me give you two things to do that will help you when you count it joy when you face trails and testing.

1.Don’t Go through, Grow through. What do you mean? That difficulty, that situation is an opportunity to get stronger, to develop character, to gain new confidence. Anybody can give up. Anybody can let it overwhelm them. But when you persevere and press through and rely of Gods power and prayer to see you through it builds your character. That pain, that problem that trial is not there to stop us. It's there to prepare us, to increase us, to develop us. Say it with me, “I am not just Going through, I am Growing though”

2.Look at the finished product again and again What do you mean? If you have a puzzle, on the front of the box there's the picture. You see what it's supposed to look like. Maybe it’s a famous person, a sunlit mountain, a castle. As a whole, it's fantastic, it’s beautiful. But if you were to take one piece and isolate it, you would think, "Look at this funny-looking piece. It's a mistake; it's not going to fit anywhere. It's an odd shape. There's nothing beautiful about it". But the fact is that piece has a perfect place. It's already been fitted, planned, designed. When the other pieces come together, it will fit in.

Whatever you are going through right now is just a piece of the overall picture of the life God has designed for you. It is fitted, it’s planned, and it’s designed for the finished picture. What does the finished picture look like? Say “this is me!” the finished picture is conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The finished picture is a reborn, transformed, overcoming, devil defeating, victorious warrior who looks like Jesus.

You aren’t just going through, In Jesus name you are growing through.