Defining A Crisis God's Way

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. -James 1:2-4

The verse above exhorts us to "consider". One of the meanings of the word, "consider", in the Meriam-Webster dictionary is to come to judge or classify. Or define.

What is the verse above asking us to define? Various trials. And what is God's definition? Joyful.

Yet, how do we define trials? Difficult, unwanted, unfair, despairing, discouraging, the list can go on and on. Ultimately, our own definitions of trials and crises of all sorts lead us to self-destruction.

Where does God's definition lead us? Endurance which results into perfection and completeness. Wholeness is another word. We might think that a crisis is tearing us apart. God, however, is in reality making us whole. This is why we need to always read the Bible. It's God's dictionary of definitions.

When God defines, I'm refined.