![\"RomeCatacombs.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/imgs\/RomeCatacombs.jpg\")
<\/span>Does James suggest that the trails of life are to be seen as \u201cgifts\u201d from God? That they are to be converted from trial into \u201ccatacombs\u201d of conversion? Notice these words and read them in the context of James 1:2-4:<\/p>\n16<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Don\u2019t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Every
\ngood and perfect gift is from above<\/b>, coming down from the Father of the
\nheavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.<\/p>\n2<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
James jumps ahead of some ideas \u2014 not mentioning that God is good or that everything happens somehow within the circle of God\u2019s permission (at least). Once we accept those assumptions of James, it appears that he thinks the trials of life, when met with perseverance and with seeking God\u2019s wisdom, will lead to character and spiritual formation and are therefore gifts from a good God<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\n
There is another way of seeing this: the \u201cgift\u201d might be wisdom. Notice these:<\/p>\n1:17:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down\u2026
3:15:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Such wisdom does not come down from above.
3:17:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But the wisdom from above.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nEither way, the trials of life are to be received as gifts from God \u2014 for their character-forming power \u2014 or one\u2019s request of wisdom from God, which is received, is a good gift.<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Does James suggest that the trails of life are to be seen as \u201cgifts\u201d from God? That they are to be converted from trial into \u201ccatacombs\u201d of conversion? Notice these words and read them in the context of James 1:2-4: 16\u00a0Don\u2019t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17\u00a0Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1777],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-james"],"yoast_head":"\n
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