James said, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into (encounter) divers temptations (various kinds of trials)." James 1:2
Only Christians can actually rejoice in the face of all kinds of difficulties, trials, testings. But notice, James gives us the word of God
To prepare us for our trials
To encourage us when we encounter our trials,
To sustain us as we contend with our trials.
A person does not try to become a Christian by generating joy when trial (testing) comes.
But, when a believer, an active, current, up-to-date believer knows that he should expect to have joy in the midst of his trial,
and
If he knows that he can have joy while he is being tried,
Then he expects to have joy
and
He believes God for the grace and ability to have joy.
This is why God's word tells believers to have joy.
It is a warning that trials will come,
It is a promise that God will be with us in the midst of our trial,
It is call to live by faith when we enter our trials.
Counting our trials as joy is the result of faith, but faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This is why we read God's word; so that we will know what to expect God to do in us and for us in the time of our testing.
A believer also realizes that God has a reason, a plan for allowing us to encounter various trials. God tells us that our victorious response to trials produces patience (and other graces) and the end result is a perfecting of our hearts and lives.
James 1:3-4
(3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(4) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
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