A family member is sick again. The bills are higher and the bank account is lower than expected. The shelves in the grocery store are nearly bare and what’s available costs more than it ever has. This world is full of trials, sorrows, problems, and troubles; what matters is our response to them. When we try to solve worldly problems with worldly solutions, we will not be rid of our problems—we’ll only create more. If you’re feeling down because of problems and trials and you treat your feelings with junk food or shopping sprees, you’ve not solved anything, you’ve only bandaged over a wound that needs stitches. We’ve been promised trials, sorrows, problems and troubles in this life and we’ve been given guidance on how to respond to them. We need to handle our problems with Biblical solutions.

“‘I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.’” (John 16:33)

The first thing we need to do in any situation is turn to the Lord. We have this promise from Jesus that we will have many trials and sorrows in this world but that Jesus has overcome the world. Sometimes we move through life as if Jesus promised that we wouldn’t have many trials and sorrows when in fact He promised that we would. We need to remember that when we face those trials and sorrows, they are promised but so is Jesus’ ability to overcome the world. Don’t set your anchor in this world—set it in Christ.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:3-5)

Paul then taught that these trials, sorrows, and problems will help us develop endurance. Imagine a child who grew up with no adversity at all. They never had to struggle with anything, they never had a difficult day or moment in their lives. Would you say that child was well-developed? Ready for the world? No. Troubles and struggles make us stronger. Paul lists how endurance will develop a strength of character and character will strengthen our hope of salvation and this hope of salvation is what Jesus started with: have hope for He has overcome the world. James echoes Paul’s teaching about problems and troubles leading to endurance and a stronger faith.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

James says we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing once our endurance grows through our faith being tested by troubles. His line of progression through the effects of trouble in our lives leads back to Jesus overcoming the world. We will have trials, sorrows, problems, and troubles and we can know that they will strengthen us, build up our endurance and character and faith, and each of these troubles is an opportunity for great joy, to grow in our faith to the point where we need nothing this world has to offer! Once we reach this development in our faith, we will need nothing from the world, we will be complete in Christ’s overcoming of the world and all it has to offer. Hold steadfast to the hope and salvation of Christ, knowing that He has overcome the world. When you endure through the trials, sorrows, problems, and troubles, you will need nothing this world has to offer because you rest in Christ, the one who overcomes the world.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.