At The End of the Hard Road Is Wisdom

James 1:5 is probably one of the most important sentences ever written, because it is the verse that inspired Joseph Smith to ask of God, and the fruits of that prayer are impossible to fully comprehend. Is not this evidence that God will “give liberally”. Two hundred years of continuous revelation have come from that first prayer, millions of souls have come to the knowledge of Christ and been saved because of that first prayer. I think one of the most important parts of this scripture is that “God giveth to *all* men (and women) liberally”. If you're smart, ask of God and He will give. If you are stupid, ask of God and He will give. If you’re rich, ask of God. If you’re poor, ask of God. If you are a saint, ask of God. If you are a sinner, ask of God. God giveth to *all* liberally. You may think you have enough. You may think you will never be enough. That doesn’t matter to God. He giveth to all. The first part of the verse becomes a lot more meaningful if you read the verses that come before it. James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations, because the trial of our faith worketh patience. We should rejoice in the struggle because it is the only way for us to develop patience. And obtaining patience may seem like a worthy goal in itself, but according to James 1:4, patience is actually the key to becoming perfect. - “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” When we fall into diverse temptations, we work our patience. If we want to become perfect, then we have to let patience have her perfect work. In other words, the trials we experience in this life unlock perfection. Every challenge we face has the capacity to make us a little more perfect. Every time we face a trial of our faith, we have the choice to let it strengthen or weaken our faith. It can hasten or halt our eternal progression. It can make us more perfect or it won’t. The path to perfection comes through the working of our patience, and our patience is worked by the trial of our faith, and our faith is tried as we fall into divers temptations. And if we make it through a trial of faith, and we are not perfect or entire, but are still wanting something, then we may ask of God. And God will give to us liberally, and not upbraid us. Why would we upbraid us? When we are going through a trial, we are on the path to perfection. This is where God wants us to be. He wants us to be working our patience, trying our faith, becoming more like Him. I have one last thing to add. The wisdom that James talks about in 1:5 - James brings up wisdom again in chapter 3 verses 17-18 - “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Trials are never fun experiences. We may be driven with the wind and tossed. We may drink from the bitter cup. But at the end of the hard road is wisdom. Wisdom that is pure, and peaceable and gentle. Wisdom that is easy, full of mercy and good fruits. And God gives of this wisdom to all men and women liberally, and does not upbraid us.