Based on James 5:10–12
We don’t like suffering. Let’s just be honest. Nobody wakes up and says, “Lord, I hope today is filled with hardships so I can grow!” Most of us prefer sunny days, easy conversations, steady finances, healthy bodies, and peaceful relationships. And yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, we know something deep down: the seasons of life when we grew the most weren’t the easiest ones. They were the ones when the wind blew hard against us.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, knew this well. In James 5:10–12 (NIV), he writes:
“Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Otherwise you will be condemned.”
James points us to two things: examples of endurance (the prophets, Job) and the character of God (compassion and mercy). His words invite us to shift our focus—not on the “why” of suffering, but on the “what” God is doing through it.
The Biosphere 2 Experiment: A Lesson from Nature
In the early 1990s, scientists attempted something fascinating. They created a massive, sealed ecosystem in Arizona called Biosphere 2. The idea was to mimic Earth’s conditions in a controlled environment. They grew plants, raised animals, and tried to sustain life without outside interference.
It looked perfect. Sunlight, water, nutrients—everything was carefully monitored. And the trees? They grew rapidly, shooting high into the air much faster than trees outside the dome. But then something strange happened: many of them fell over before they matured.
Why? The scientists eventually realized they had forgotten one critical factor: wind.
In nature, wind stresses trees, forcing their root systems to grow deeper and their wood to grow stronger. Without that resistance, the trees in Biosphere 2 were weak—beautiful to look at, but unable to stand when tested.
That’s us. We may long for a life without storms, but in reality, it’s the resistance—the wind—that grows our roots deep. The hard seasons of life force us to anchor ourselves more firmly in God, making us able to stand when life’s gales come again.
From “Why” to “What”
When suffering hits, our first question is usually “Why?”
Why did I lose my job?
Why did the diagnosis come back positive?
Why did my marriage fall apart?
Why did God allow this?
But “why” questions rarely bring peace. Even if God explained His reasoning in detail, it wouldn’t always take away the ache in our hearts. James invites us to a different posture: shift from “Why is this happening?” to “What is God doing in me through this?”
“What” questions open the door to purpose.
- What endurance is God building in me?
- What roots is He helping grow deeper?
- What compassion is He developing in me for others?
- What areas of pride, self-reliance, or control is He gently dismantling?
Roots in the Storm
Psalm 1:3 describes the righteous person as:
“like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”
But trees don’t just need water—they need wind. And we don’t just need blessings—we need resistance.
I think back to a personal season when my life felt like it was collapsing from every side. My work was uncertain, a relationship I valued was struggling, and I felt isolated. I remember sitting on the floor one night, tears streaming down my face, feeling completely powerless.
It was in that season that I started reading the Psalms out loud every morning. Not because I felt like it, but because I was desperate. I needed God’s Word to hold me up when I had no strength of my own. Over time, my prayers shifted from “Lord, make this stop” to “Lord, make me steady.” My circumstances didn’t change overnight, but something in me did—my roots went deeper.
Hebrews 5:8 – Even Jesus Suffered
The Message Bible puts Hebrews 5:8 this way:
“Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do.”
This verse has always stunned me. Jesus—perfect, sinless, fully God—learned something through suffering. If the Son of God didn’t escape it, why do I expect to?
But here’s the beauty: Jesus’ suffering was not wasted. Through it, He identified with us. Hebrews 4:15 says He is a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted in every way, yet without sin. That means when the wind blows in my life, I can run to Him knowing He understands.
The Example of Job
James specifically points us to Job’s perseverance. Job lost everything—his wealth, his health, his children—yet he didn’t curse God. He wrestled, questioned, lamented, and even wished he hadn’t been born, but he never abandoned his faith.
In Job 23:10, in the middle of his anguish, he declared:
“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Gold is refined by fire, not by comfort. Roots grow deep in the wind, not in perfect weather.
Perseverance Produces Blessing
James says, “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.” That word “blessed” isn’t just “happy.” It’s deeper—whole, flourishing, spiritually enriched. Perseverance doesn’t just get you through the trial; it transforms who you are on the other side.
Romans 5:3–4 says:
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Notice the chain: suffering → perseverance → character → hope. Skipping the suffering would mean skipping the hope.
Guarding Our Words in the Storm
James ends this passage by saying: “Above all… do not swear… All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” At first glance, that seems unrelated to suffering. But think about it—when the pressure is on, our words can get sloppy. We make promises we can’t keep, vent our frustration in destructive ways, or speak out of anger instead of trust.
Storms test our speech. They reveal whether our “Yes” to God is still “Yes” when life gets hard.
The Anchor in the Wind
So, what do we do when the wind blows?
- We remember the prophets who spoke for God despite persecution.
- We hold onto Job’s example of perseverance.
- We trust the Lord’s compassion and mercy, even when we can’t see it.
- We shift from “Why?” to “What?”, looking for the roots being strengthened.
- We guard our words and stay faithful in the little things.
The Storm-Rooted Tree
A friend visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina after a hurricane had swept through. Along the shoreline, many trees were uprooted, their tangled roots exposed. But there was one tree—a massive live oak—that still stood tall. Its branches were battered, some leaves stripped away, but it was still rooted firmly in the ground.
A local told her that tree had been there for more than a century, weathering storm after storm. Its roots had grown deep into the sandy soil, twisting around rocks and anchoring themselves in hidden places. “That’s why it’s still here,” he said. “The storms made it stronger.”
That’s what God is doing in you.
Friend, I don’t know what wind is blowing in your life right now. Maybe it’s a gale-force storm that’s shaking everything. Or maybe it’s a steady, wearing breeze that’s slowly draining your strength.
Here’s what I do know: God sees you. He is full of compassion and mercy. He is using this season to grow roots in you that will hold for years to come. You may not understand the “why” right now, but the “what” is this—He is making you strong.
Key Scriptures:
- James 5:10–12
- Hebrews 5:8
- Psalm 1:3
- Job 23:10
- Romans 5:3–4
“Roots don’t grow in the calm. They grow in the storm.”
Pastor Tricia's Ramblings 
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