I get a verse a day. Today’s has me wondering a bit (I’m not studied the Bible, still looking to join Bible study group someday).

Today’s verse: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Question: why does testing of faith produce steadfastness? Isn’t that what is being tested? Or is it something that develops? Either way, why? Is it the belief in a greater end? Perhaps I should read Job again.

One of the, recurring, themes in Christianity is “not my will, but Thine.”

Essentially, suffering teaches us to either let go of the unimportant/see the secular world for
What it is/to turn to Christ and find refuge and solace in Him.


Lewis’ “The Problem of Pain,” is a better explanation than I can give, but the root of all suffering, is disobedience.

This morning’s sermon was very apropos. I’ll figure out how to post it.

We must have the same app.

I saved today's verse of the day in my bookmarks. I prefer the NKJV word choice: patience for steadfastness.

James 1:2-4 for the interested.

The result of a testing of a person's faith is either for their faith to wither away or to remain steadfast. In his epistle, James is speaking to believers who have faced persecution and is encouraging them in their various trials. For more context on the verse you mentioned, he speaks to those believers who have not remained as steadfast or have certain doubts in verses 5-8 of chapter 1.

I am looking for a recommendation for an app or website where I could sign up for a daily bible verse. (I'm looking for a single bible verse, not a passage.) I would prefer standard English as opposed to the King's James version. I would also like a very brief commentary on the verse that might clarify things. I would be okay with a King James recommendation if you have been really impressed with the site and the commentary clarifies the King James wordage.

Thank you in advance for any recommendations.

Holy Bible from YouVersion. You can select Bible version.

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Originally posted by BlackTalonJHP:
The result of a testing of a person's faith is either for their faith to wither away or to remain steadfast. In his epistle, James is speaking to believers who have faced persecution and is encouraging them in their various trials. For more context on the verse you mentioned, he speaks to those believers who have not remained as steadfast or have certain doubts in verses 5-8 of chapter 1.

Thanks. Context helps. One day hope to that context.

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Originally posted by FenderBender:
James 1:2-4 for the interested.

Thanks. Will look it up. The verse above is interesting to me given some of the tribulations I’ve faced over the past 6 months.

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Originally posted by konata88:
Holy Bible from YouVersion. You can select Bible version.

I second this. Fantastic app and totally free without a bunch ads bombarding you. Lot of versions available and easy to compare different translations side by side.

If you get the app I would strongly recommend signing up for the “The Bible recap with Tara Leigh Cobble”. It is a Bible in 365 days plan through the app. In just 10-15 minutes a day you read the entire Bible chronologically over the course of a year. 3-5 chapters a day with a nice summary video that really helps with perspective. I am a out a week behind but plan on getting caught up this week.

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Lewis’ “The Problem of Pain,” is a better explanation than I can give, but the root of all suffering, is disobedience.

This is totally false. Jesus said, "In this world you will have tribulation - but be of good cheer - I have overcome the world."

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Originally posted by synthplayer:

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Lewis’ “The Problem of Pain,” is a better explanation than I can give, but the root of all suffering, is disobedience.

This is totally false. Jesus said, "In this world you will have tribulation - but be of good cheer - I have overcome the world."

Good answer. Worth calling out. Disobedience can cause suffering, often it does. That can be true while remembering that not ALL suffering is from disobedience...unless we all go down a mental gymnastic road of saying that all suffering traces back to original sin. You could write that paper. But, let's keep the context where it belongs and not read into depths that weren't implied or otherwise intended.

Remember folks, iron sharpens iron.

To me, the verse in the OP speaks to a concept we can all identify with and understand. It's the "practice makes perfect" or "you fail to your highest level of training/experience."

In learning a musical instrument, we all understand that work put in, practice, equals improvement. Within shooting, range time mostly equals improvement. Most people get better at something that they've repeatedly practiced or performed before.

So faith is also true in this context. We understand the concept of closeness forged under fire. Marriages that have endured great difficulty and come out the other end stronger. James, the author of this verse, was the half-brother of Christ himself. The second part of the verse continues, "And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." ESV (which appears to be the original quote). In NASB, the phrasology is that trials create an opportunity for faith to produce endurance.

It's an encouraging opening to a people who were scattered. Great verse, great book.

I avoid verses of the day because you get verses like this and when you get verses like this, it usually means incoming, brace for shock. I keep reminding God I'm delicate and will break at the slightest trial.

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

The word steadfastness or perseverance. The same sentiment is echoed in Romans 5:3 with the same word translated as "perseverance," "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations brins about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Jesus said as a Christian, you need endurance. In Matthew 24:13, He says, "But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved."

Your faith has to endure until the end in order to be saved. As the old hymn sung by Steve Perry of Journey says, "Don't stop believing..."

In order for you to understand this verse, like most of the verses in the Bible, you have to experience it first hand and, in this case, experience what it means to undergo a trial that tests your faith.

Your faith is tested when you've been living your life as a Christian, first, that you believe on the death and resurrection of Jesus as payment for your sins and on that basis alone are you claiming your salvation. Then you grow in obedience to living your life according to the Bible - reading the Bible, praying, regularly meeting with other Christians to worship and learn from the Bible, etc.

You live your life like that and you see God bless you. Doors of opportunity open, your problems get solved, whatever sin is besetting you no longer has any hold over you. You are living the victorious Christian life!

Then you get laid off from your job, you can't find work, and your savings starts dwindling down. Someone you love and is close to you gets cancer. You pray to God and nothing. It doesn't even feel like He's got time to listen to you; He's got time for the rest of the 7 billion people living in this planet but not for you. You can't even leave a message on His voicemail.

All your wanting to live a Godly life looks like it's not getting you anywhere. You get desperate and wonder what good is it to believe in a God that doesn't come through for you when you really really need Him.

You can either give up or give it to God, meaning you understand He can save you but, like the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refused to worship the golden statue in Daniel 3, you allow God to do what He wants to do with your life even if it means you'll die destitute, lose a love one to cancer, or any of the horrors that this life can dish out and you'll still have faith / trust on Him.

That's a trial. Then you really start to study passages like Psalm 23 and wonder how David could fear no evil even walking through the valley of the shadow of death. You're desperate to understand why, when you're surrounded by your enemies, God isn't doing anything about them but is busying Himself with preparing a table. Doesn't God know you're about ready to be eaten by your enemies instead of you being ready to eat? Why isn't He doing anything? Why does it seem He's not there? When your faith is on trial, it's questionable whether you're going to make it out of that valley and all that you have left, since you've exhausted everything else, is to throw yourself at God's mercy and grace. And then God brings you out on the other side. Then you can truly say with the Psalmist "I will raise my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)"

Those trials test your faith to make it stronger in preparation for the coming trials that are even more difficult. You go through trials in order to accomplish God's purpose in your life and to encourage other people who may be going through trials that you've already went through before and you can testify to them that even as God saw you through, God will see them through.

David while still a youth fought a lion and a bear while tending a flock of sheep. His experience in overcoming those beasts prepared him in facing Goliath and defeating Goliath even when he was just a youth. 1 Samuel 17:31-37.

When I'm sharing my experiences of how God has been faithful to me to people going through trials, I emphasize to them how God loves them so much He made me go through what I went through just so I can testify to them that God is able and faithful. Nothing is too small or too big for God and He cares for all His children. We just need to continue to grow in our faith.

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Originally posted by synthplayer:

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Lewis’ “The Problem of Pain,” is a better explanation than I can give, but the root of all suffering, is disobedience.

This is totally false. Jesus said, "In this world you will have tribulation - but be of good cheer - I have overcome the world."

Both are correct. The root of all suffering was disobedience.
It’s clearly explained, it is not to be assumed or implied. It is laid right out in Genesis that all pain, labor (both child bearing and physical work) sickness, etc. is all because of Eve and Adam’s disobedience by eating the fruit they were specifically told not to eat.
It also goes on to state that at some later time a woman will bear God’s Son and make it all right in the end.

So yes ALL suffering is ROOTED in the disobedience of Eve and Adam however through Christ all of that pain and suffering will be gone when we get to heaven.

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I prefer the NKJV word choice: patience for steadfastness.

According to my KJV concordance, these two words are not exactly synonyms. This "verse of the day" could have different meanings, depending on the word used.

In the KJV book of James, the word "patience" is used in three different ways:

1. Perseverance, endurance.
2. To exhibit internal and external control in a difficult circumstance. (This is the same root for "longsuffering")
3. Forbearance.

Use of the word "Stedfast(ly)(ness)" in the KJV New Testament has these Greek roots (there are no uses in James):

1. Solid, strong; standing firm.
2. Firmness.
3. Security.
4. To strengthen, establish, stand firm; to be resolute.
5. To join, adhere to; to be ready; to give attention, be faithful.

Exchanging one for the other can change how someone interprets the verse.

I offer this as an objective view, not as a debate point. Do with it what you will. I find the concordance to be a useful tool; each translation has its own.

Ultimately, I suppose either boils down to faith. Perhaps it could be said that "patience" includes the element of an implied duration of time, while "stedfastness" is a characteristic of a person.

This is an oversimplification, but basically what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Having to face questioning, opposition, and even persecution, yet persevering through it builds strength, experience, and resolve. It's like a lot of coaches and DIs have told us over the years..."Lean into it!"

There's a lot going on in that verse and my universal suggestion is to seek context. Bible verses don't live in a vacuum, though we sometimes like to treat them like that. We sometimes also like to think of them as some sort of Taoist or Confucian words of wisdom or philosophical truth. They are not always that. Some of them can be that when applied to a life led by the Holy Spirit but generally, I do not believe they can be applied outside of the structure of Grace through Jesus Christ.

This verse is in a letter from (most likely) the Apostle James (the brother of Jesus) to a specific people... generally, early Jewish converts to Christianity who were, by this time, spread all around the known world. So exhortations to persevere make a lot of sense when thinking of the pressure on ethnic Jews following this "heretic" Jesus. These churches (believers in a city) were somewhat on an Island regarding their theology, reliant on letters from Apostles like Paul, Peter, James, and John.

It happens to also apply universally to Christians who are living in a secular world, beset on all sides by unholy influences.

As for what it means to a believer, it is an exhortation for when you are feeling beaten down by the world around you. Jesus, himself, was persecuted so we should also feel joy when we suffer the same. Paul writes a lot about suffering, as well. These people were truly suffering... often beaten, imprisoned, left for dead, forced into exile, etc. Faith is like a muscle which grows from exercise. All believers in Christ believe in a "better end." We have an eternal reward waiting for us and the Bible teaches us to strive in this world knowing that an eternal reward awaits... not because we are good people or because our striving produced some great work, but because we were steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ.

Just to echo what Yellow Jacket said, Bible verses are not intended to stand alone. Context is very important. I enjoy getting a verse of the day. I just make sure to take context into consideration.

Agree. Context is important. I want to get more familiar with the Bible.

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Originally posted by konata88:
Agree. Context is important. I want to get more familiar with the Bible.

We don't read the Bible to learn about the Bible... we read it to learn about God. Read it and you will read the words of God. And John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."