2009-09-25T10:26:51-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com /feeds/topics/consider+it+pure+joy/ http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201:2-3&version=NIV 2009-09-25T10:26:51-05:00 Why would anyone ever think to be grateful for trials and suffering? Because God can use the hard times in our lives as tests which cultivate spiritual characteristics like perseverance. When you're going through a personal trial, don't just pray for God to remove the suffering--pray also that he'll use it to make you into a more Christlike person.