Trials

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."
     So what does that mean???  Whenever we go through times and trials be grateful?  Now I bet you are already saying "What!  Be grateful?  Why would I be grateful that I am going through painful situation?!"  But look closely at what this verse is saying..."because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance..."  Perseverance is a good thing to have, what is perseverance?  Perseverance is to keep on, to persists.  So when God gives us trial some of us eventually have perseverance.  Sadly some people break down and turn away from God when hard times come.  They think that God has turned His back on them.  But that is NOT true, and never will be true!  God is always with you!  He will never leave you.  He is just testing you faith, to see if you truly love Him.  Because if you did then you would never leave Him.  So consider if PURE JOY when God gives you testing in the faith. 
     A saying that I have heard many times is that "God will never place you, where he cannot reach you."  Aren't you glad that that is true?  So I bet your saying "Then why did some people leave God?  Why would He let those things happen if He knew they would not take the pain?"  But, here is another question.  Did they really love God and trust Him.  Mrs.Carmen my Co-op teacher, (A co-op is a homeschool group)  says "Through the whole entire Bible, God says 'I love you', and we are suppose to trust and obey."  We are suppose to trust God and obey all his laws. So if we truly love God then we would not leave God or think that He has left us.  Another question you might be asking is, "Then why did God let those things happen to people who don't know God?  Won't that make them more lost?"  You see the cool thing about God is this, He can see everything that will happen.  When we only see a piece of the puzzle. 
     For example,  God is the puzzle maker and the pieces of the puzzle is our lives.  God knows everything so He know exactly what the puzzle is going to look like, and in the end He will put you in a beautiful frame and admire His work, forever.  We don't see what God is doing but, all we do is trust and obey, and in the end you will be a beautiful art work for all to see.