As James tell us (see James 1:2), our lives are filled with trials of various kinds that God uses to refine our faith: economic challenges that leave us longing for different circumstances and questioning God's character; relational trials that test our ability to love those who are not like us; trials in conversation that reveal our inability to control our tongues; trials of physical sickness that leave us crying out to God in prayer.  James helps us to understand God's greater purposes for the trials we encounter and teaches us to both ask for and live with the wisdom he provides.