I love James. Do you know this James was the Lord’s brother, not the apostle. Anyway, he says it like it is and some times, we need to hear truth, straight up.

Okay, show of hands. Who’s perfect? (Shh, Suz, put your hand down… )

None of us. We are by nature flawed and sinful. The first time your dear, darling one year old looks you in the eye and utters their favorite word, “No,” in definae, we understand the sinful human nature.

Our fictional characters are also flawed. Otherwise we can’t write them with sincerity and truth. We can’t engage readers, either.

As much as we try to minimize our flaws, or even avoid trials, they are necessary to face. Here’s waht James write:

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Wow, lacking in nothing? That’s powerful. Meaning, lacking nothing in Christ. As Jesus deals with our flawed nature, we endure trial and testing of faith. Maybe by our own doing, maybe at the hand of others, (we’ll call those internal or external conflicts) but if we endure, we have a perfect result. And we lack nothing.

I’ve endured trials. And if I prayed, kept close to the Lord, and maintained a right heart, I gained faith and confidence from my ordeal.

I Samuel 22, David asks the priest of the Lord for Goliath’s sword to fight Saul saying, “There’s none like it.” So the priest gave it to him. Now David is fighting with the very sword he used to kill his enemy. He had the strenght of past victories. But if he hadn’t faced and defeated Goliath, he would never have received the sword in his hour of need.

God gives is the strenght of past victories!

Our characters must do the same. Face their fears and weaknesses, then journey to over come. This is called character growth.

If you’re struggling, go to God. If your character is struggling, well, go to God. He’s willing. He’s able!