When you reflect on the periods of your life in which you have grown the most, what is the common thread? Adversity. We tend to brace against trials, resist them, or try to outrun them, yet we are called to not only accept difficulty, but to actually rejoice in it. Why? Because the struggle is the very forge that strengthens our faith, builds our endurance, and prepares us for future challenges. That's why James doesn’t stop at joy. He reminds us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, and perseverance, if we let it finish its work, leads to maturity and completeness. Not lacking anything. That’s the promise waiting on the other side of persistence.