James 1:2-4 (ESV)

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

One of the most difficult things to deal with in life is the feeling of failure. Failure brings thoughts of not being good enough, anger at yourself for failing, frustration at the situation and even feelings of depression if the failure was severe enough.

It is very easy to give up when experiencing failure and to let those feelings press you down. Sometimes, feelings come from situations where we have absolutely no control. It could simply be life getting in the way of your goals or because of your own faults. In this situation, it is much more difficult as we have to admit failure and that we are broken.

As depressing as this may be, it is not what God intends for us. While we will repeatedly fail (as this is a part of life), we are not to let it destroy us. This passage tells us that when trials come our way, we should “count it as all joy.” How odd is it to consider our failures joyfully? Of course, James does not mean that we should be jumping for joy in the midst of a trial or struggle. Rather, we recognize that God uses our failures and our successes to build the strength of our character. Nothing that we do surprises God and He will use it for His glory and our good.

This is why we should see trials as joyful. God will use our experiences to make us more like Him. We will be tested and that testing produces steadfastness. As that becomes stronger it will bring us closer to a complete relationship with Christ. It is amazing that God uses even our failures to create in us a more perfect person.

This week, rely completely on God. Have faith that no matter what, He will always use your failures for your good.