Finding Joy in Life's Trials

Living in the Black Hills
 We know what it’s like to go through dry seasons. The hills lose their green, stock ponds shrink, and dust hangs in the air. Last year, the dryness was so severe that large fires broke out nearby in Campbell County, where my nephew helped fight them.

There is a heaviness when relief does not come, wondering if the storm or rain will ever arrive. As hard as droughts are, they change our perspective. They force us to notice what is essential, conserve what we have, and watch the skies differently.

Trials as a Shift in Perspective
 Life has its own kind of droughts. Sometimes it is illness, loss, or disappointment that stretches on longer than we think we can bear. It is in these seasons that the Book of James offers a surprising invitation:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)

Pure joy? In the middle of a drought? At first, it sounds impossible. But James is not calling us to fake smiles or pretend we are fine. He is pointing us to a shift in perspective, to look beyond the surface of our circumstances and see what God is doing underneath.

I have had seasons when I prayed for something to change, and it felt like nothing happened for months. Looking back now, I can see how God was quietly shaping my character during that waiting. I would not have said it at the time, but my perspective shifted. I began to notice small blessings I would have overlooked and learned to trust God more deeply.

Deepening Faith Through Perseverance
 Just as a drought pushes roots deeper into the soil, trials push our faith deeper into God. When life feels easy, it is tempting to skim along the surface. But when the pressure mounts and the rain does not come, we learn to draw from living water we cannot see with our eyes. Perseverance is not just hanging on by our fingernails. It is an active trust, showing up day after day and saying, "God, I am still here, and I still believe You are good."

James says that perseverance leads to maturity, to being “complete, not lacking anything.” It is like the hills after a long drought: when the rain finally comes, the grass grows back richer and deeper. In the same way, God uses the dry seasons to grow something in us we could not see before.

Perspective is what makes the difference. Two people can go through the same hardship; one walks away bitter, the other walks away stronger. What changes the outcome? Often, it is where we choose to focus. When we look at the loss only, the pain feels endless. But when we look for God’s presence and remember His promises, we begin to see flickers of hope.

Finding Joy Amid the Drought
 If you are in a trial right now, you do not have to feel happy about it. But you can ask God to help you see it differently, to give you His perspective on what is happening. That is where joy begins to grow, not in the absence of pain, but in the presence of a bigger picture.

Here is a prayer you can borrow if you need words today:
Lord, keep shaping my heart through Your grace. Teach me to walk in humility, love others, and grow closer to the holiness You call me to, one patient, gentle choice at a time.

As your perspective shifts, you may start to notice growth in places you once saw only barrenness. You will see your perseverance deepening. You will see hope taking root. And one day, you will look back and realize the dry season changed you, not just for the worse, but for the better.

True joy is not a fleeting feeling. It is a steady confidence that God is at work, even in the drought, even in the trial, even when everything feels uncertain.