Ready for Anything

James 1:2-4 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. [3] For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.


Today’s the big day. Kade has been dreading it. He has to go this afternoon and get his shots in order to register for Kindergarten. Of course, he doesn’t want to go. I told him, “Kade, you are gonna get to get your shots today so you can get to go to Kindergarten!” His reply is, “Daddy, I don’t want to go to Kindergarten!” The thing is that, I know for a fact that he really does want to go to Kindergarten...he just doesn’t want the shots.
Isn’t that a perfect picture of us as Believers? We want to join the Lord’s Army, but we don’t want to go through basic training. We want to be like Jesus, but we don’t want the thorny crown. We want to be called Christians, but we don’t want to be treated like Jesus was treated when He was on earth.
The truth is, God allows trouble to come our way for a purpose. When something bad happens to you, God did not cause it. However, He does allow unpleasantries to come our way. And He wants us to see their overall purpose and to have joy when trouble comes. Jesus’ half brother, James, says in 1:2-4 that the reason trouble comes is that it tests your faith, grows your endurance, strengthens your character, and makes you ready for anything. So, God lets difficult things come our way to strengthen us and prepare us for greater things down the road in this life and in the one to come.
Kade doesn’t want shots—and who frankly does? However, he doesn’t see their purpose—only the hurt. The little hurt that a shot produces will protect him from bigger hurts down the road. Also, these shots will allow him to be ready to do something he will enjoy doing—going to Kindergarten (after that, it’s all downhill!).
Today, think of the areas in your life where you are hurting. Instead of complaining (as I often do), begin thanking God for and asking Him to reveal to you their specific purpose in your life. If you begin to embrace life in this way, you will find yourself ready for anything.