God can deliver

Isaiah 43:2-3
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

The trials of this life can be overwhelming. We turn to all sorts of fixes to try and get out of, or at the least, ignore them: entertainment, drink, sex, money, power and even self.

God's promise is not to take away the trials of life, instead, he promises to experience the trials with you, and uphold you through them. His promise is that, ultimately, you will not be overcome by them.

But how can we know that God can deliver? Can he really do what he says he can? He rests the answer to these questions on one thing ... his identity: "I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel."

If we take a peek at verse 1 (Isaiah 43:1) we get some insight into what God means when he says (in his best Hon Solo voice) "Hey, it's me." The verse reads "thus says Yahweh, he who created you ..., he who formed you ..."

If God created you, can he not also deliver you?

Steadfastness

James 1:2-4
Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Be joyful when you encounter trials or testing ... this doesn't just mean put on your best smile and fake it. I believe that in order to meet hard stuff with true joy you must have a motivation that is greater than the trial you're facing.

James says that this testing produces steadfastness.

Steadfast: resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.

Since these trials are a "testing of your faith", then letting steadfastness work in you (have it's full effect) produces unwavering faith. Faith in what? Better question, faith in who? Faith in Jesus. And when you have unwavering faith you will lack nothing (James 1:5-8).

The motivation for approaching trials with joy then is a "future you" who lacks nothing - when I hear those words I hear "you will be content all the time." Can you imagine being completely content no matter where you are, no matter who you are with, and no matter what is going on around you? This is God's promise to those who rest in him.