Life has a way of pressing down on us. Bills stack up. Relationships strain. Sleepless nights pile on. Then we sound something like this, “What’s the point of all this pressure?”

James, the brother of Jesus, knew that feeling. He wasn’t always a believer. In fact, Scripture shows he doubted Jesus during His ministry (John 7:5). But after seeing the risen Christ, James became a leader in the early church. And he wrote something surprising:

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2, NLT)

James doesn’t say if trouble comes, but when. Pressure is unavoidable. Financial setbacks, health struggles, relational tension, or job stress, it all comes for us eventually. But James insists there’s a purpose inside the struggle: growth.

Pressure produces endurance. Just like an athlete builds stamina by pushing beyond what feels comfortable, our faith strengthens itself when it’s tested. Every time you’ve faced disappointment or fear but kept trusting God, you’ve grown stronger even if it didn’t feel like it at the moment.

Pressure also reveals what’s inside us. When life squeezes us, whatever we’ve been carrying will come out! Whether it’s anger, bitterness, hope, patience, and courage. It’s important to surround yourself with healthy friendships. Fill your heart with God’s Word. Invest your energy in serving others. Because when the tension comes, those are the things that will overflow.

Pressure grows us toward completion. James writes, “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:4, NLT) The goal isn’t to escape pressure as quickly as possible. It’s to let God use it to shape us into people who don’t need circumstances to dictate joy.

Don’t waste your trouble!

What feels like punishment is very likely just preparation. The pressure you’re under right now could be the very thing that pushes you closer to God’s promises.

There is purpose in your pressure.