Flourishing while Under Pressure

Scripture — James 1:2–4 (NRSV)

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.

Devotion

It is significant, though perhaps unsurprising, that James begins his letter discussing the trials those in the Diaspora will face. Those who live, work, and lead in places and spaces governed by values and patterns of life not calibrated to the economy of God’s kingdom will inevitably face trials of many kinds. James does not name specific trials at this point because he knows they will be different depending on each person’s individual context. He assumes his hearers and readers can easily fill in the blanks with the trials they are currently experiencing.

And while it’s easy to imagine that such trials are always negative, the result of bad actors or diabolical forces, James seems to think differently. He exhorts his audience to consider these trials as occasions for joy because it is by faithfully enduring such trials that they become mature. In ways that might seem difficult for us to understand and accept, James participates in a larger scriptural vision where God’s purposes for humanity involve putting pressure on humans for their flourishing.

Now, James is quick to point out that God does not tempt people to sin (see James 1:13–15). But James makes a distinction between tempting (using the verb peirazō
in verses 13–15) and a trial or test (using the nouns peirasmos and dokimion in verses 2–3). Where the purpose of tempting is to cause people to sin, a trial or test creates the context for a choice. A person can choose to faithfully endure a trial in ways that produce maturity and flourishing, or choose another path that will lead to sin.

I can illustrate this briefly by looking at the story of Cain and Abel, where God approves of Abel’s sacrificial offerings but disapproves of Cain’s grain offerings (Genesis 4:1–16). Many commentators and preachers attempt to find something deficient with Cain’s offering, attributing the problem either to the offering itself (he offered bad grain) or to Cain’s intentions (he didn’t really want to offer it to God). But the text says nothing of the quality of Cain’s offering nor his intentions; instead, it focuses on Cain’s response to God’s actions: “So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it’” (verses 5–7).

God doesn’t call Cain’s anger and sadness sinful nor does God give a reason for approving Abel’s offering instead of Cain. Instead, God focuses Cain’s vision on the choice that is before him. Will Cain cling to God in this moment, using his grief and anger as a catalytic force to learn from his brother Abel and make the necessary changes to his devotional practices, or will Cain allow this disappointment to fester into an all-consuming bitterness and rage? As the story goes, Cain chooses the latter option, fueling the first act of murder in the Bible.

It is into this understanding of the world and its pressing trials that James speaks his word of exhortation, a word that is timely for leaders. Leaders face the pressures of trials every day: pressures to be more productive with AI by cutting costs and even personnel, pressures to care for young children and aging parents, pressures to make ends meet, or to work unfulfilling jobs to maintain a particular lifestyle. And, in ways similar to Cain’s own story, it’s not always clear why these trials are happening. Is God in the middle of these never-ending AI developments? Are the challenges with kids or aging parents a natural part of the created order or a result of sinful actions, theirs or ours? Are there diabolical forces at play that put undue pressure on us when we are already financially vulnerable?

Unfortunately, answers to these questions often only happen in retrospect, after a trial is over. The mystery that James invites us into is to see these pressures, these trials, as the context for your flourishing, if you remain steadfast in your wholehearted allegiance to God and the way of Jesus. This doesn’t mean we pretend to enjoy these trials or pretend everything is fine. The life of a disciple must always make room for anger, grief, lament, and disappointment. But these emotions must also be given to God in prayer so that they don’t fester, allowing sin to take control of your life.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Rx for Chronic Wisdom Deficiency Syndrome (CWDS).