January 7, 2010 - James 1:2-4

"My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing."

I'm enjoying the new tv show "Mercy," about Veronica, a nurse who is adjusting to life back in the states after having been in Iraq. After all she had seen there, she had lost her faith, not being able to reconcile the horrors of war with a loving God.

In last night's episode, one of her patients died for three minutes and was brought back to life. A devout Christian before the surgery at which he died, he had a crisis of faith after finding out that he died and he didn't have the "light, tunnel, and God waiting for you" experience. He decides there is no God and why bother being a good person if it doesn't matter anyway.

In today's Bible passage, on the other hand, James says that trials are opportunities for spiritual growth. We are to praise God for the trials, count them nothing but joy. Trust me, this one is easier said than done. But, when I look back on my life, I know that the experiences where I learned the most were usually experiences I would rather have not had at all. In today's trials, I cling to the God of my understanding, the God who loves me, comforts me, cares for me. The trials bring me closer to Him, and also restores my faith in human nature. He sends help when I need it, often from unexpected sources.

At the end of the show, Veronica and the patient are having a conversation. She tells him about a young man she treated in Iraq who died due to the injuries he sustained while saving a young girl. "Who would do that?" She asks. "I think that's a miracle." Her patient looks incredibly sad and says, "I miss God." Veronica replies, "So do I."

I hope Veronica finds God again. This is tv, so maybe not. But for those who are having their own crisis of faith right now, I say, do not despair. Count your trials as joy, for God is there in the midst of them. Does the sun cease to exist because the clouds cover the sky? Are the trees really dead in the winter because they lost their leaves in the fall? So God remains, even in the trials. Perhaps, even more in the trials. I think sometimes when times are "good" we tend to forget about God and just go about our merry ways. It is in the trials that we learn to trust God. It is in the midst of despair that God is the one constant on Whom we can depend.