Enduring the Trial

Reflection

There are many different types of trials in life. Some come through physical or emotional suffering. Others arrive through persecution, calamities, job loss, or sickness. These trials often come without warning and weigh heavily on the heart. But James speaks of another kind of trial that is just as real and often harder to endure. Temptation.

Whether it comes from our own fleshly passions or through the enticement of others, temptation is a constant part of living in this world. The struggle to deny our own desires can feel more intense than outward hardship. No one else may see it, but the battle is real.

There was a season when I desired a simple vocation. The vocation itself was not sinful, but my desire for it slowly overshadowed everything else. It began to take priority in my thoughts, my time, and my heart. Scripture reminds us, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21, KJV). What I desired most revealed what I was treasuring. In that way, my desire became sinful, not because the thing was wrong, but because it held a place in my life that belonged to God alone.

Thank God for His mercy. Had I continued in that direction, I know what it would have produced. But by His Spirit, my heart was corrected. He revealed what was happening and gave me the strength to loosen my grip. Temptation does not have to lead to sin. Through Christ, we are given the ability to endure.

As long as we breathe on this earth, temptation will remain. But we are not powerless. James reminds us that there is blessing for the one who endures. God sees the struggle. He honors perseverance. And He promises a crown of life to those who love Him.