Consider it pure joy

Wednesday night, we began some new classes at church. I attended the men's class, to talk about being God's man in the face of temptation. During our discuss, we read the first chapter of James (v.1-12). Where he talks about "pure joy" when we face trials of many kinds. Perservering through our trials of life, and receiving the crown of life. Written on the board it looks so easy, all you have to do is walk the line, until you receive your crown. Don't waiver. Stay the course.
So I threw out the question, "what happens when you get tired of perservering?"
Not really needing or wanting an answer, but just wanted to say it. Because how many men, actually, how many people get tired of sticking to the course? Perservering? How do we do it? What keeps us focused? What happens when we fall? Oh the trials of life. Pure joy, to test and grow our faith. To learn new things, to build upon the faith we thought we had, and refine ourselves in the fires of life. It's hard. Life is hard, and that is what I wanted people to hear. We are going to undergo a great deal of hardship in life. Losing jobs, losing spouses, losing friends, losing kids, losing parents. Our entire life is a grief process of trying to keep and hold on to those things that are most precious to us. But just as I stated in class, its like Opposite George (Seinfeld). Where if every inclination I have ever had has been wrong, then to do the opposite is right. If all I want to do is hold on.. I need to let go. If all I want to do is cry, then I need to smile. If all I want to do is give up ... then I need to hold on. If I want to live, I need to die. There is so much mystery about life, but we have the Creator of life holding our hand as we walk through our "joyous" times of trials, struggles, temptations and questions. He is faithful. If we stand for him, he will stand for us. Praise God.