God uses trials to increase faith in our lives (James 1:1-4). The book of James – written by James, the half-brother of Jesus – makes it clear that God wants us mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4). That maturity produces abundance in our lives. At the beginning of the book, James establishes that part of maturity is learning to find joy when we face challenges and difficulty. Trials are an inevitable part of life, and faith in Jesus does not remove those trials. Instead, God uses our difficulties to shape our character and perspective, to develop trust and dependence on Him. He uses our trials to help us grow, and as we grow, He blesses us with inexplicable joy.