Patience's Perfect Work and Prayer

Have you been made better or worse through your trials? Thus is the true test of character revealed, for here we can have advancements in holiness. Trials refine a Christian, they don't consume him. The ability to count it all joy, which has reference to our emotions, comes after judging or discerning our trial, which involves our minds and our wills. We first have to know that this trial will work patience, and then we must not be eager to learn our lesson and have it finished, but "let patience have her perfect work." Faith tells us that there is no comfort for us outside of God's Word. The slothful indifference found today amongst many who name the name of Christ will never produce this joy. Grace does not honor slothfulness. We must learn to think biblically, or we will not respond correctly to our trials. Thus we are to pray for wisdom and understanding,for these are never attained without prayer.