Have you ever felt pure joy? Those moments are wonderful, if fleeting—the birth of a new baby, the wedding day of dear friends, a hard-earned graduation from high school. Joy is an emotion that we love to experience, and one that we long for when times are hard.

That’s what makes the second verse of the book of James so hard to swallow:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” –James 1:2-3

Joy…in suffering?

Often, it seems like the Bible is asking us to do the exact opposite of what our instincts are telling us to do! And that’s not so crazy if you consider that human nature—in a fallen, broken world—is often diametrically opposed to God’s nature. Our flesh wants us to react in one way, even as our spirit tells us we ought to react in quite another. It’s a constant tug-of-war between doing things our way and submitting to God’s way.

So how can we rejoice in suffering? It’s not a simple thing to do, but there are some steps that make the path a little easier.

1. Realize that your suffering does not go unnoticed by God.

God sees you, and your pain matters to Him. He’s experienced the suffering of humanity first-hand through walking the earth as Jesus, and the suffering of His children matters to Him. Consider the story of Lazarus, when Jesus arrived and saw that his friend had died and that those who loved him were in deep grief over their loss. Jesus knew that he would raise Lazarus from the dead, and he knew that their suffering was going to end in joy. Still, as the shortest verse in the Bible says, “Jesus wept.” Those two words are powerful! God knows your suffering, and even though He also knows the eventual outcome, the pain you are going through has great meaning to Him. In fact, it’s so important that He won’t let one moment of your struggle go to waste, using it to make you stronger and mold you into the person that He’s planned for you to become. You can take joy in the deep love the Father has for you.

2. Have faith that God will use your suffering for good (even when it seems impossible).

God is not surprised by your circumstances. In fact, He knew that whatever it is you are struggling with was going to happen—and He knows how it’s going to end, too. Even when something seems too hard to handle and you can’t see how anything positive can come of it, God is working things to good behind the scenes. We can’t see the whole picture because we are too close to the painting—everything might look black to you from where you’re standing, but God has a much greater perspective and can see how the dark places work together with brighter colors to give the painting depth and beauty. What you are going through now will equip you with life skills like patience, compassion, and deeper understanding of the suffering of others. There may be times when we may not be able to see the good in a situation this side of heaven, but we can have faith that one day we’ll be able to see the whole picture and the way that God used the hard times to create a masterpiece beyond all comprehension. You can find joy in knowing that through this trial, God is making you stronger.

3. Allow God to be your comforter and your shelter in the storm.

Struggles and suffering can come from sources beyond your control, such as an illness, a death in the family, or the loss of a job. Suffering can also come as the result of bad choices you’ve made, straying from the path or falling into bad habits. The good news is that either way, the situation can draw you closer to the Lord and increase your faith! Whatever the source of your struggles, you have the power to choose to let the situation shake your faith or grow it. Choose to cling to the Lord in your suffering, crying out to Him in prayer. Immerse yourself in the Word, which is full of stories and psalms that have to do with suffering and God’s provision during hard times. Make it a point to look for the many ways that God shows Himself during times like these—from small things like a phone call from a friend at just the right time to miraculous provision just when you need it most. By drawing closer to God, you’ll find a new depth of comfort and joy in your relationship with Him.

No one enjoys trials and tribulations, but it’s a comfort to know that in the Lord, suffering can bring about growth, a new perspective, and yes…even joy!