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In the Epistle of St. James, Chapter 1, it says, "count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing." Does this verse also include the trials that we have brought upon ourselves because of our own sins? How can we count it all joy when we are going through a hard trial that is a result of our negligence and failure to follow God's commandments, especially since God did not will for this to happen, but has allowed it by His permission? Can God turn our failures into something beneficial and profitable?

From verse 1-11 in Chapter 1, St. James addresses the external trials brought about by various circumstances of little or no personal choices. To illustrate this message, he uses poverty as an example (vs. 9-11). Starting from verse 12, St. James takes the same concept and addresses the trials resulting from falling into temptations. He/she who endures will have a crown waiting in the eternal life. St. James then uses the remaining portion of this chapter of his epistle to provide a remedy for the pitfalls of the kind of spiritual maladies which are acquired through negligence and other personal weaknesses gravitating one toward certain sins.

  

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:12-15).

Every time that one confesses with a true repentant heart, God demonstrates how He can change our failures into spiritual benefit for the individual and for others (e.g., St. Moses the Strong; St. Augustine, St. Anastasi, St. Mary of Egypt, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Paesa, St. Photini - aka the Samaritan woman, etc.).